Seeking Favor
by SpiritOfEowyn
Summary: AshMare EPILOGUE! Ash trys to make up for his past, Mary lynnette graduates..and isn't there when Ash comes back to keep his promise.
1. Default Chapter

"Seeking Favor"  
  
by Laurel Astrea  
  
Disclaimer: If I've said a thousand times, would I never have to say it again? I don't own Ash Redfern, Mary-lynnette Carter or any of the other Night world Characters, they all belong to L.J. Smith. The only things belonging to me are Laurel Astrea, Sindel Walker and a few other characters that I made up for this story. Rated PG  
  
Summery: It's almost Valentines day, but Ash has to keep his promise not to visit Mare, but that doesn't mean he can't call in a few favors…^-*  
  
Authors notes: I was working on revising chapter 2 of Summer, when I gave up and started writing this cute little story, It has plenty of Ash and Mare stuff, so…. You'll forgive me IcySparks23 right? I hope this doesn't end up too predictable. Ash Redfern fanfic archive can be found at http://geocites.com/LamiaAshRedfern/ under "Pink Haze" k. onward.  
  
CHAPTER 1  
  
Ash lounged on an overstuffed loveseat in Thierry's large living room. Staring at the ceiling. His mind wandered to a certain hick town in Oregon. He crossed his ankles and put his arms behind his head. Valentine's day was fast approaching, time for all good soulmates to… UCK. He didn't want to be around here then. His cousin James and that girl Poppy were nausinating enough without anyone else reminding him that Mare was out of reach. He wasn't allowed to visit, he knew that, but he still felt he should get her a gift or something, just in case, his irrational mind told him she had forgotten about him. Could she? He could think of little else. An Amazing feat for sure, Ash Redfern concerned about only ONE girl. He should get a prize or something. Esp. For a girl who didn't even have a nice car- well now she didn't even have A car.  
  
She might have come with him IF her car hadn't exploded, she had been so nearly his.  
  
IF he had been able to protect her then, instead of the other way around. IF he had had nothing to make up for. Ifs were useless at this point. He couldn't change the past, he could only try and make up for it.  
  
An ice cold finger poked him in the shoulder.  
  
"HEY! What are you doing moping around? We have our assignment in Seattle to get ready for." Laurel Astrea a Circle daybreak witch demanded impatiently.  
  
He slowly brought his eyes back to her eye level.  
  
" That's weeks from now, so unless you've suddenly become one of those girls who takes weeks to pack." Ash argued his eyes remaining a lazy grey blue. Laurel frowned, disliking what she saw as laziness. This girl was a family friend coming from a respectable witch family but. She seemed to LIKE to annoy him, she was almost his complete polar opposite. She was an uptight overachiever most of the time. She was the kind of person that if a paper was due in June she would panic if it wasn't done by Febuary. While he would wait until the night before and still feel fine with it. However together they made a dangerous team, which was why she was his partner on this assignment.  
  
"Do you have to waste time like that though?"  
  
he sighed "Is this why you came in here for? To lecture me on my leisure habits?"  
  
"No," Laurel seemed to consider the matter, reminding him of Rowan with her nagging ways. " Originally I wanted to know how to get to Briar Creek."  
  
My eyes grew wide, shifting to a purple.  
  
"…Oregon you know? Where your sisters live? I wanted to visit them on my way to Portland."  
  
He remembered now, she had to leave early, to go to Portland to get some truth serum to get information out of the midnight witch in Seattle.  
  
Her Silver blue eyes seemed to light up in recognition.  
  
"Hey- that's where your, I mean Miss Carter lives right?"  
  
He thought he knew what she was thinking, and tried to hide the slightly pained look that unbidden crossed his features.  
  
"I can't visit her yet." He knew that if he got anywhere near Briar Creek, it would drive him crazy, he would have to see her- and break his promise. Laurel frowned at him.  
  
Suddenly an idea, a plan blossomed in his mind, his eyes becoming green and his famous charming smile appeared. She backed up a little knowing what THAT face meant.  
  
"Laurel? I have to ask you a favor…"  
  
End chapter 1  
  
HA HA I can do cliffhangers too! What will Ash ask for? Will his plan work? Will I ever let you know? he he. You'll just have to stay tuned and review! 


	2. Getting there chapter 2

"Seeking Favor"  
  
By Dragonwriter  
  
Notes: You're right Princess death. Not that I was trying to keep it a secret. This is the 2nd version of this chapter.  
  
Disclaimer: All the glory be to L.J.Smith, And I don't own anyone. Except for my own characters Laurel Astrea and Amanda who needs a last name. (In this chapter at least) warning some spoilers from 'Soulmate' Please review, and don't throw any tomatoes! I'm trying really I am!  
  
Chapter 2.  
  
~ This is how you remind me of what I really Am, It's not like you to say sorry, I'm always waiting on a different story…. "Are we having fun yet?" ~ (yes it has very little to do with THIS story, but I love the lyrics^-^)  
  
"All right allright, I'll do it! Just stop looking at me like that!"  
  
"Most girls LIKE me looking at them like this." His voice was so suggestive that it made her laugh.  
  
Ash was one of those people that it was nearly impossible to say no to. Besides what he was suggesting would be fun. So when he used his winning smile, crafty as his currently green eyes were, she agreed to play go- between. No one was as good at manipulating people as Ash was, joining Circle Daybreak didn't change that about him. It was useful.  
  
They were at the mall. Shopping, something that Ash enjoyed way more than she did, and SHE was the girl!  
  
"Allright, Roses are a must, Think she might like girly candles and bath stuff?" Ash asked purposefully while counting the gift ideas on his right hand.  
  
"Depends, what kind of stuff is she into?"  
  
By this point Ash was only half listening, his mind wandering off on a tangent, Mare in a bathtub, her clothes on the floor, bubble bath, sweet smells, and flickering candles, her dark hair…  
  
"Ash? Hello?" Laurel waved her hands in his face.  
  
"Hmm? Oh well Mare's into astronomy."  
  
"Really?" Laurel seemed interested, as that was one of her hobbies as well. "Does she have a telescope yet?"  
  
"Yah."  
  
"What kind?"  
  
Ash attempted to describe the telescope.  
  
"So…. She might want a new lens, this one store has this lens that greatly improves the clarity, and this cool astronomy textbook with some awesome color photos of nebula, got to get that." Later at the Airport, Ash finally added his sisters phone number address; map etc to Laurel's little black book. The flight to Salt Lake was short and uneventful, arriving in the late afternoon. She took a taxi to the University of Utah. ((Boo, hiss bad U of U!)) Clouds covered the sky. It felt like 30 degrees, which was warm for a Utah winter. This is where her contact lived.  
  
"Hey! Amanda, where's my car?"  
  
Amanda smiled.  
  
"Don't you want some supplies first? "  
  
"Where did you get the nettlesroot infusion?" She asked lifting up one of the bottles.  
  
"Harman store had a sale going."(( In Utah there are a chain of stores called this :0 ))  
  
After getting some special herbs and some of Laurel's other stuff, Amanda returned her car keys.  
  
They walked across campus, avoiding the ice and piles of snow.  
  
"Not a scratch on him, I was careful with Tama," Amanda said, leading her away from the dorms. A tour group passed by them, all perspective students. Laurel stopped and turned around with premonition, pretending to have dropped one of her bags so that she could eavesdrop. In the tour group was a petite girl with green cat-eyes and short, dark hair (Chess).  
  
"I still don't know why you want to live in Utah of all places," she said. An old soul perhaps, but not important enough for this weird feeling. Her friend answered, and that eerie feeling Laurel got when some part of her older and more powerful, knew that it was seeing something significant. Amanda looked confusedly back at Laurel, and said, "High- schoolers do get younger looking every year."  
  
The girl standing next to the brunette was tall, blonde, and had old gray eyes. Too old for this to be her first life.  
  
"It has a really good Archaeology program, that's why, but you don't have to go here if you don't want to Chess."  
  
Chess snorted. " Like I'm going to abandon my best friend to a school like this."  
  
The blonde smiled, "Well I also have that scholarship opportunity here."  
  
Two old souls that knew each other, but that couldn't have been the significance.  
  
"And this is Van Cott Hall." The tour guide rattled on. The blonde turned with the rest of the group, and that was when Laurel got a better view of her face. The birthmark. A brand? A sign? It was a strawberry mark that slanted down from her cheekbone. Significant! Her brain screamed, heart starting to race.  
  
*Blink* Pink birthmark. *Blink* running down an infinity spiral staircase, darkness, death, red, black, screams, A sad face with dark eyes, sorrow lies so strong were the emotions they were almost palatable. *Blink* "Always been a victim." *Blink* Cave, end of staircase, like beginning. Crimson eyes, an important decision, ages pass, time. * Blink* birthmark fading-bad, but it is a sad sign. * Blink * a bat, a cat, shift, wood, silver cord shining brighter 2 silver strings in the form of DNA. ~End cycle~*blink* "Game over." A dark voice echoed in her mind * blink* Back to reality. Trip-y. Okay that was Definitely a vision. So what the heck did it mean?  
  
"Hannah, come on, are you okay?" Chess leaned over to her friend who had stopped walking with the tour group and was holding her head.  
  
"Sure, I'm fine." Hannah tried to sound encouraging.  
  
Laurel felt like her blood was pure sugar, such a high, visions often did this to her. She felt giddy.  
  
((Dragonwriter- In Soulmate, it specifically says that Hannah was planning on going to University of Utah on a scholarship, with the same degree. It's there I'm not making that part up, Prospective students check out there schools right? ))  
  
All right, Hannah and Chess, remember those names, and perhaps we can get a repeat of this vision and see what the heck it means, and why I had it. Who do I know that it would affect?  
  
But not now, I have a favor to repay.  
  
Tama was a dark purple sports car with a black and red leather interior, a gift from her rich lamia dad.  
  
"I think you're crazy for driving to Oregon, you could easily get Elder Thierry to fly you to Portland instead."  
  
Laurel shrugged vaguely. "I like to drive." Mostly a lie but Amanda didn't have to know that.  
  
" Rii-ght."  
  
"So, am I taking you up to Idaho Falls for that game or not?" Laurel asked impatiently, tossing her stuff in the trunk.  
  
" Only if I'm driving."  
  
"Considering it's six hours up to Idaho falls- I wouldn't have it any other way."  
  
"Oh? Well leave it to me and my 'Devil May Care driving and we'll cut it down to four hours!" Amanda grinned while Laurel made sure her seatbelt was firmly fastened, reminded herself she had airbags as she took her place in the shotgun.  
  
Laurel pulled out her cell phone, dialing the three sisters phone number.  
  
"Hello? What do you want?" A bored voice answered probably Kestrel.  
  
"Hick towns that boring eh, Redfern?" Laurel loved to tease people. Kestrel's voice quickly became alarmed.  
  
"Who IS this?"  
  
Laurel played Mock horror and shock. "Aww Kes, don't tell me you forgot your Extra sister."  
  
There was a pause on the other end.  
  
"LAUREL?!"  
  
"The self same." (A very Ash influenced response)  
  
"How in HELL did you get our phone #?"  
  
Laurel heard Kestrel talk to someone on her end. " Jade it's not Mark, so go away."  
  
When she could tell that her favorite Redfern sister was back on the phone, "Ash told me."  
  
"He told you?" Monotone.  
  
"He did and from what he told me about you guys I guess I can tell you that both of us are part of Circle Daybreak now."  
  
"My brother is not a witch so he *can't* join a circle." Kes said derisively.  
  
Amanda was a CD contact, so that much was safe for her to hear, however, she also had a huge crush on Ash. Typical-ly stupid. So mentioning the location of Ash's soulmate wouldn't be smart. Amanda was rather determined when it came to things she wanted.  
  
"Okay, I'll explain it all to you later-"  
  
"Nuh –uh. Now." Kes demanded  
  
"Will you let me Finish?!"  
  
Silence on Kes's end.  
  
"All right, you see I called you guys because 'I miss you all violently'"  
  
Kestrel snorted. "And I'm coming to visit."  
  
"When?"  
  
"As we speak, so if I'm lucky, by 9:00am tomorrow."  
  
Rowan had taken over the phone, must suck to have sisters that could read your mind. - No secrets.  
  
"I think you've been hanging out with my brother too long, you're picking up his short notice habits." Laurel could just imagine Ro's frown of disapproval.  
  
"Hey I just today got your phone # from him." She defended. "I can still come right?"  
  
Rowan seemed to calm down a bit.  
  
"We'll be expecting you. It is very considerate of you to take time out to visit us."  
  
Typical Rowan manners.  
  
"Thanks."  
  
Laurel hung up relieved. Part one of the plan had worked. For all the shady dealings I 'm going to have to do- you're going to really owe me Ash.  
  
Laurel snuggled up with a pillow against the window.  
  
"Wake me up when we get there."  
  
"Sure thing."  
  
Laurel threw out of her mind the many errands she had to do before reaching Briar Creek. Falling into the depths of sleep.  
  
" The things I do for my friends." Muttering into her pillow.  
  
End chapter 2  
  
~~ review! Please! I need suggestions! Where should Ash and Mare meet again? In Seattle or at Thierrys? 


	3. Errands Chapter 3

Chapter 3 "Errands" of Seeking Favor  
  
Notes: hey people! I hope you you're liking this, any and all suggestions would be appreciated. I finally got off my bum and decided to type this up :P  
  
If you write Ash fan-fiction and it's NOT rated nc-17 or worse. You can submit it to 'Pink Haze' a all Ash/Mare fan-fiction archive. For details go to the site at http://geocities.com/LamiaAshRedfern/ under Pink Haze, yah and stuff. ^-^  
  
Chapter 3  
  
Laurel stayed in Idaho Falls with the rest of Amanda's Rugby team, not hitting the road again until the horrid hour of 4:30 am. - Glad that she had slept most of the trip to Idaho. Three or four hours left before she would reach Briar Creek. Donuts and hot chocolate from a 24 -hour convenience store was the only thing keeping her awake. Normally she made it a point not to start any mission before at least 11:00am to which Ash wholeheartedly agreed. He was almost definitely still asleep, unless he still up having fun, or just staring at the ceiling. Lucky Bast***!  
  
The sun wasn't even starting to get up. And it didn't until after she had crossed the state line. At about 8:00am she reached the last real town before truly hitting Hicksville. She found a phonebook and located the towns florist who obviously didn't live by her early morning philosophy- it was open. She examined the old woman behind the counter- human. She couldn't feel the presence of magic, which meant it was safe from spies, humans wouldn't be spying for the night world. ESP. if they weren't under some spell. Something Ash had told her Quinn had said about this area came to mind. ' You couldn't pay a night person to live out here, In the middle of nowhere with only humans…' And perhaps 'I need a hobby' Quinn had been right about it. Why would the council worry about an area that most maps didn't cover? With scant humanoid life, let along nightworlders.  
  
"Can I help you?" the clerk inquired  
  
" yah, do you guys have any red roses left? And do you deliver?"  
  
"How many do you want?" The old lady's eyes lit up with greedy glee.  
  
Hmm Don't want to scare her with too many, so axe one for everyday he's been gone. The old lady seemed dismayed when she only counted to four on her fingers distractedly, but soon became estatic when she answered.  
  
"I'll take four dozen, ah heck just make it an ever 50 okay?"  
  
The old ladies eyes bulged out of her head, I guess people don't order much roses around here.  
  
She was handing the clerk the cash when her eyes caught expensive swiss chocolate bars in a box. "I'll take two of those too, one to go with the roses and one for the road." After all she was being a good girl- today.  
  
"Where do you want them sent?"  
  
"Okay, this is going to sound weird but I want them sent to a Mary- Lynnette Carter at this address." She passed the address card over the counter.  
  
The lady gave her a look and said too quickly. "Whatever floats your boat."  
  
Laurel flushed upset. GAH lady don't think like that! "I'm running an errand for her boyfriend, see?" Laurel handed over another card, the one Ash had written to go with the roses signed only with his first name for her own safety.  
  
"This goes with them, and if anybody asks who ordered them say you don't remember or something okay? He was sapposed to do this, not me. I think I'm paying you enough for you to do that." And she was really.  
  
Back on the road again. As she entered Briar Creek she expected to see a sign that read ' 200 people reside here, 150 of whom are already dead.' It was worse than Le Grande or Planada. ((Central Californians make fun of these 2 hick towns.)) But luckily better than El Portal. (( the 'town' right outside of Yosemite that has only 1 tiny dust filled store and a couple of shacs.- Laurel is from around there.))  
  
She was excited about seeing her friends, whom she hadn't seen since she had moved away from the Redfern enclave when she was little. The supposed road the girls lived on was more of a dirt path. The old house looked like crap warmed over. Ash had warned her about that. He hadn't been kidding had he? She really wanted to meet this girl that was the other half of Ash, poor girl. She must be something if she had gotton him to be a human lover and not in the Don Juan way. Ash joining Circle Daybreak. That had been a bet that she had been able to make a large sum of money from. Enough so she didn't have to pay for school, and once Quinn joined although how that was possible beyond what her foresight told her, she didn't know.  
  
I get to play matchmaker and I know something you don't know(! Her favorites.  
  
End chapter 3  
  
Sorry about that, Don't worry, less and less Laurel, I just wanted to explain some stuff that would only come from her perspective. The next chapter is ALL Mare and her feelings. Lots 'o suspense for you! I know cause I've already written it. I just have to go type it. Anyways PLEASE review! 


	4. chapter 4 Who Am I?

Author notes: Mary-Lynnette is always getting a bad rap. Lots of people seem to think she's a *itch, which I disagree with strongly, which is how this chapter came to be, to defend Mary-Lynnette. Yes this is short but chapter 5 is So- long.  
  
Thank you everyone for the reviews  
  
Chapter 4  
  
~ You were never meant to belong to me... Who Am I? ~(Smashing pumpkins)  
  
Mary-Lynnette Carter had not been able to concentrate all day. When she got home, she went straight to her dark blue room, hoping that homework would distract her. After that, it was the latest edition of `Sky And Telescope' but even that failed to help. She used to be able to lose herself in her studies, until it seemed like the only thing that mattered. Now Astronomy paled in the face of a more alluring attraction. Frustrated she hurled the magazine across the room. It could be summed up in one syllable, one name. She scrunched up her face and slapped her forehead.  
  
"I'm so stupid." Twilight blue eyes glared at the glow in the dark stars on her ceiling. But what else could she have done? Even that knowledge brought no relief. Last Summer everything she had ever known about anything had been permanently altered.  
  
Her mind tried to rationalize her actions, and feelings. She came from a messed up family, one where she had subconsciously learned that as soon as you die, you are replaced. Love was fake, or it had been until that August.  
  
All Party guys had little to no IQ. He had proven that wrong.  
  
Everyone is human-wrong again. Working at the Gamma Ray observatory was all she'd ever want or need. So wrong. All Vampires are evil, wrong. Jeremy Lovett was a nice guy-almost fatally wrong. And I killed him, one of the only friends I'd ever had, I Killed! I'm a murderer! They should lock me up for it. How can I call it self defense when he wasn't planning on killing me? And for a guy that probably deserved it with all that he had done in his life. All those dead because of him. She had seen that, and strangely that hadn't scared her. She didn't fear him hurting her physically not really. What was left of truth? Is anything I `know' real? Her chest hurt, she hated saying that about him. But if she was honest with her self in a purely logical way, it was true. But her heart argued, fought and screamed the entire way. How many people do you think he's killed?  
  
At one point she had thought that she could join him, but that didn't work. And she had sent him away.  
  
Looking over at the calender on her wall, she saw that Valentines day was only two days away, and today was ASH Wednesday. (( Sorry if this doesn't fit with 1998's calender but it's true for this year* Ash Wednesday before valentines day* and I thought It was ironic. The time line is a little messed up sorry.)) ASH, and Valentines day, it was all that stupid mushy holiday's fault! For reminding her " IF you hadn't sent him away, he would have been here with you now, no doubt smooching," and of course she would have been terribly distracted from school. Because Ash was terribly distracting. Right now there were probably a bunch of super-model types throwing themselves at him. How could she compete with that? And then there was another truth.  
  
Love scared her, it did, she was scared of opening up to someone only to have them taken away like mom, or worse leave you. What if he had left her and found out that he preferred some inhumanly beautiful vampire who his parents would approve of? One that wouldn't fight with him, or ruin the way he saw the world? After all he had even said that " He loved her `against his will'"  
  
It would destroy her, just as if something ever happened to him... nothing could be right, nothing would ever be okay. She knew this instinctively.  
  
She wanted him, but she also feared him. Scared to death of what he could do to her, without even trying. The feelings he brought out. Made her need him.  
  
Was he off making things better? His smile came to her mind. The way he looked at her. Did he remember her? When he came back in August what would she say to him? She had no experience at all with this sort of thing. He was her other half. She felt like Bunny Marten, saying that but it was true. When he came back, she would let herself think of it as an IF. She would have to find a way to get past her nervousness, that part of her that wanted to run away, or prove somehow that he didn't have her. That she was independent and didn't need him. And find a way to let him know that she DID want him.  
  
How could she not? 


	5. Meetings in Briar Creek

Chapter 5 of Seeking Favor  
  
Author notes: Sorry about the wait people, I got a new Imac and it's taken me forever to get to know how to use it, as opposed to a PC, and to get it connected to the `net  
  
This Chapter Dedicated to: Sindel, my partner in crime ^-^  
  
8:30am Friday morning the 13th.  
  
"Ro-Wan." Jade bemoaned.  
  
"Come on just for one day be our sister and not our mother! Let us miss just ONE day. Just tell the school we have family business or something." Kestrel complained, they had been going to the human school faithfully for too long, and Rowan was being stubborn when one of their kind was coming to visit them. It wasn't fair!  
  
Kestrel looked to Jade. If there was one thing they both agreed on it was Rowan.  
  
"Would you promise to catch up on your homework?" Rowan asked quietly, not wanting to be the bad guy.  
  
Both Sisters turned to Rowan, in awe. Was Rowan actually going to be reasonable?  
  
They were saved from answering by a knock on the door. Kes and Jade scrambled around Rowan to get their first.  
  
*****  
  
The hole in the front porch was one of the first thing they had fixed. The old house with itÕs white fence and thistle exterior screamed out that it was a woman's house.  
  
They were greeted by the same mischievous grin that had planned most of the tricks at the enclave that had kept the adults on their toes, only in a older body. While on the other side the three graces framed the door, Calm Rowan, Rebellious Kestrel, and innocent Jade. They looked so much older, probably because they were. More than a decade separated those carefree days of mischief.  
  
"won't you please come in?" Rowan said ceremoniously while she was tackled by Kestrel and Jade and physically hauled inside.  
  
"So how are you enjoying the REAL world?"  
  
Their grins said it all.  
  
"The enclave is heck!"  
  
"We miss it terribly.' Raspberry.  
  
"Did you know that there really are Vampire Hunters?" Rowan said in horror.  
  
"Slayers, yes, I've had a few run ins with them." If she was completely honest she had been one, on occasion she had killed vampires.  
  
"Are they as ugly as they are portrayed in the picture books back home?" Jade asked awe and curiosity evident.  
  
"No more than normal humans, their mannerism the way they walk, that's what gives them away." She shrugged.  
  
"What's this about Ash joining a circle?" Rowan asked  
  
"You mean he didn't tell you himself?"  
  
"No, or we wouldn't be asking, all we've heard is that he's with some pro-human group."  
  
"Well that's what Circle Daybreak is." Laurel then explained the basics of circle daybreak. (like you need to hear that again, for everyone fighting the night world, humans, vampires witches etc. blah blah)  
  
"Lord Thierry runs the circle!" the sisters couldn't get over a circle run by a vampire, let alone a made one.  
  
"It's run by an Elder?!"  
  
"yeah that's why we're so powerful. You could join too."  
  
The sisters looked at one another considering, that would be a big responsibility and would alienate them from their family.  
  
Laurel rushed on. "You don't have to decide right now."  
  
" It's hard to see Ash playing the good guy." Jade said to change the subject.  
  
"Neither can our enemies, so we're able to catch them with their pants down so to speak." She said a feral smile crossed her face.  
  
They sat in the living room catching up on old times until about noon, when the witchÕs stomach started to make loud complaints.  
  
"Uh do you have anything to eat here?"  
  
" We have some junk the humans bring over." Rowan said leading her towards the kitchen, whose cupboards were filled... with dust.  
  
Rowan looked distressed. " We don't eat food, sorry." She apologized profusely, dismayed at not being able to properly entertain her guest.  
  
Laurel searched for something to sate her stomach, ending up with chips, popcorn, and a can of chili that looked like it had been there long before even Mrs. Burdock had moved in. They would have gone to the store but, Jade didn't want to risk one of her teachers on lunch break seeing her apparently ditching.  
  
" You know, people will stat to wonder if you even eat at all if they looked in your kitchen." Rowan frowned, remembering something.  
  
"You drank blood at the enclave."  
  
The witch look sick, and it wasn't all at the state of the chili. "I only drink blood when my dad forces me to, how you guys can stand to survive off the stuff, I don't even want to know. Food," She frowned at the chili. "Usually tastes so much better, Blah." Kestrels smile became wild.  
  
**********  
  
"What do you think happened to them?" Mare asked her brother during lunch break at Dewitt High.  
  
"I don't know, Rowan has never let them miss school before." Mark said, disappointed that he hadn't been able to see his girlfriend Jade.  
  
He glanced at his sister and wished that he hadn't. Mare had that High school detective look. As soon as school was out, they walked to the Old Burdock farm to find a plum sports car parked outside. Which begged the question, did they have company over? Worse, Family? She remembered them saying that their brother liked sports cars, but didn't think he was the type to buy a purple one. It was so, girlie. He liked girls with fast cars though. Her mind laughed at her, well Ash certainly hadn't picked her for her car. Or what was left of the old one.  
  
At the sound of the Burdock front door creaking open the Carters, Mary-Lynnette dragging Mark who felt silly, hiding behind a black berry hedge.  
  
"Exactly who are we hiding from this time, Nancy Drew?"Mark asked exasperated. Didn't she know that hiding was suspicious, especially if it was any of the Redfern's type? -Dangerous. had she never heard of `Act casual?' Living in hicksville most of their life, he wondered how his sister had gained such paranoia. She responded by putting her index finger to her lips, in the symbol for silence.  
  
"Thanks got letting me stay with you guys." an unfamiliar blonde said walking backwards, her back to them, from this angle it almost looked like Kestrel. Another runaway lamia?  
  
"It'll be nice to have another of our own kind here." Rowan said smiling evenly. Kestrel moved quickly towards the car. "Nice ride." her hands passed over the curve of the tail end, and then asked.  
  
"Does it have power?"  
  
The stranger turned around revealing almost inhuman beauty, and a grace that only the sisters possessed. She jumped down the steps and smiled mysteriously at Kestrel. "It has speed if that is what you're asking, but the spell it casts on people has nothing to do with magic."  
  
The strangers eyes narrowed- and turned to look directly at them!  
  
*****  
  
Laurel froze. They were being watched. She felt two distinct non -magic life forms - humans, nearby, she used her senses to zero in on them. This wasn't a city, no one else should be here. The designs in the dirt pointed in what direction they had fled. If they were slayers, she should have noticed them following her by now.  
  
~Kes, move back slowly, we have company.~ She pathed, Kes frowned preparing for a fight.  
  
~Is something wrong?~ Rowan seemed concerned.  
  
A samurai like star, made of silver and hard wood, appeared in the witches hand as she pivoted toward where they were hiding.  
  
"Come out now." She commanded. Slowly first a Boy and then a girl stood up looking sheepish. "it's rude to spy on people." She began, but was cut off by the disappointed sound coming from Kestrel. She looked disappointed that it wouldn't end in a battle.  
  
"it's all right, it's just our friends."  
  
Jade looked innocently confused. "Mark, what were you doing hiding like that?"  
  
The boy Mark was searching for something to say, "Uh..." and then pointed at his sister.  
  
For some reason that seemed to explain everything to the lamia. It was her turn to be confused. " Did I miss something? Do your little friends often play hide and seek, for no reason?"  
  
"Laurel, These are our neighbors, Mark and Mary-Lynnette Carter." Rowan said making introductions.  
  
Laurel's eyes widened in recognition, When she looked back at their neighbors she did so examining Mary-Lynnette intently, who tried to avoid the over analyzing eyes.  
  
"You are.... Mary -Lynnette Carter?" She said in a voice that made it sound as if she was meeting a celebrity. Mary-Lynnette was not bad looking for a human, she shared about the same height as herself, a respectable 5'10, tan, dark brown hair, blue eyes... The description was right. So this was the one.  
  
"You've heard about my sister?" Mark said confused.  
  
Rowan, the bright one- "he told you about her?"  
  
"He who?" Mark asked while Mare continued to recover from the shock.  
  
Laurel ignored him and concentrated instead on her third eye, to see beyond normal sight, and opened her eyes to see- A double strand of silver, like a stand of DNA, encasing the human girl, while the human boy stood in contrast with only 1 strand running though him vertically. Which meant that the girl had met and recognized her soulmate, while the boy had not. These were the real people and not shifters.  
  
Kestrel ignored Mark, if he was stupid, he was stupid and there would be no point in wasting her time explaining.  
  
Rowan decided otherwise. "This is our old friend from back home, Laurel Astrea."  
  
"A witch." Laurel supplied easily, only to receive shocked expressions from everyone. "What? I think it's important information, that I won't ever require a blood donation."  
  
"that's not the point." Jade said quietly.  
  
" Like you didn't already tell them about our kind.Ó Laurel scoffed. No one else could hear them.  
  
"Right." the human boy said and gave his sister a look that spoke volumes about his opinion about her paranoia. No one was going to try and kill anybody. he had known last year that it was pointless to bluff.  
  
Mary -Lynnette was finally back to her senses and putting the facts together fast. 1. Kes and Jade hadn't gone to school because a family friend had stopped by.  
  
2. By the way the Redferns were reacting to her, the witch wasn't planning on turning them into toads or anything.  
  
3. And the witch knew who she was.  
  
Knowing this, what was this girl doing here?  
  
Kestrel easily lifted the luggage from the trunk. "So you guys want to come in? I think we have some things to discuss..."  
  
End chapter 5  
  
Chapter 6 is chock full of Ash-edy goodness, so stay tuned! 


	6. Leaving Las Vegas

Author notes: sorry about the long wait. This chapter was hard to write for some reason... and so it may suck a bit -  It's all about getting into Ash's head though, so that should be interesting... I love building the suspense,: P  
  
Please keep the reviews coming; they are what keep me going. After this  
  
Chapter I really need some suggestions, all I've got are a few concrete ideas,  
  
And possible directions. THE next chapter may take awhile as wonderful midterms have to take precedence - And I haven't written it yet.  
  
Sapphire Taylor: Is Laurel Jealous of Ash and mare.. It depends on how you mean.  
  
If you mean if Laurel wants Ash for herself, No. It would be like liking an  
  
annoying brother that way. Ash is just the wayward fun brother-type that she  
  
could never imagine even kissing.  This is why Ash entrusts her with the  
  
Location of Mare, I think DoD proved that Ash is very protective of his  
  
soulmate. Amanda might Kill Mare if it meant she could get Ash, just like a lot of girls would to get their hands on a gorgeous guy like Ash. Is Laurel jealous of Ash having a soulmate? Probably. Like all teenage girls, she wants a soulmate of her own  :P  
  
  
  
Chapter 6  
  
"Oh James!" giggle. "You shouldn't have."  
  
"Anything to make my Poppet happy."  
  
Ash rolled his eyes, controlling the impulse to throttle his cousin. Couldn't  
  
they go someplace else to be sickeningly cute? He HAD to get out of there.  
  
Passing his cousin in the halls of the Nightworld lord's mansion, Ash couldn't  
  
control his comment to him; after all he couldn't be a saint all the time.  
  
"James, you REALLY shouldn't have." He said in a tone that imitated Poppy's voice.  
  
He imagined that James was glaring a hole in his back now. Too bad, he wasn't in the mood to see his expression. And if he made any comments about jealousy or the like, he wasn't listening.  
  
Last year he had brought Poppy here to be 'exposed'. Now he was out to protect  
  
Humans. He had even thought about doing anything to protect a certain human had she changed into a made vampire, even though it was illegal, punishable by Death.  
  
The universe must have some sick sense of humor.  
  
Lord Thierry was in his office, like always. You'd think the ancient vampire, would take a vacation or something. The man needed a hobby probably more than  
  
Quinn.  
  
The old vampire looked up from his desk, giving him a look that said, "Get on  
  
with it."  
  
"I was thinking I could help Circle Daybreak best by stop wasting my time here, skip tomorrow's party," Ash had his hands in his pockets, using his casual winning smile, As if the idea of leaving before the party just happened to occur to him.  
  
"You want to skip a party?"  Skepticism and was that amusement in Thierry's voice?  
  
"That's right, so I can spend more time on gathering the information you need."  
  
Even to him, it sounded out of character. The guy who had spent much of his  
  
youth partying, the partier, wanting to skip one of the best parties of the year, to work.  Mare, what have you done to me?  
  
Thierry analyzed him, being around people for most of known history had made him an acute observer of others.  
  
"You don't want to be around all the couples." he stated.  
  
He sympathized. "I understand." And he did, it was hard to be away from the only woman to you, once you had met her. Work was a good distraction; it kept you away from yourself. From thinking too much about what you couldn't change, it passed the time.  
  
Ash fidgeted, thinking of arguing that nothing made him uncomfortable, esp. those idiots fawning over each other.  
  
Thierry scrawled something on a card, and handed it to Ash.  
  
"Give this to Neilson." No time for argument, Ash saw the name of one of  
  
Thierry's private jets,  
  
"Good luck."  
  
"You know, you should take a vacation or something, try Hawaii." Ash suggested, it was as close to a thank you as Ash would ever give, waving lazily as he left.  
  
Thierry let out a deep breath, when the lamia was gone. Feeling Old and tired.  
  
As rash as the Redfern seemed he was very useful, once you got past his facade.  
  
Perhaps he had been right; maybe he did need a vacation.  
  
"Hawaii was as good a place as any, Nielson would stop bugging him about his heath, and there was work to be done there.  
  
******  
  
Ash leaned against the jet window.  It's cool surface bringing relief to his hot face. He peered out at the approaching twilight, the light matching that of his eyes.  
  
What if she was annoyed that he had sent her gifts? Or worse sickened. Had he overdone it? No women ever had, but Mary-Lynnette was different. It mattered to him that she liked it. She could hate the roses for all he cared, if she liked him. He had never had to work at this sort of thing. Women had always, and sometimes quite literally fallen into his lap. What was the worth of something so easily gotten? Women had been easy, and therefore not important. I'm worrying about a girl's feelings. Yet again he question who he was. His family would think he was some witch's illusion. He smiled at that. It would be interesting to see everyone's expressions if he ever told them he was part of circle Daybreak, a human lover, almost worth the instant death sentence that it was.  
  
Certainly a lot of them would think it was a joke and laugh and say 'that's a  
  
Good one Ash, YOU a human lover? You should tell my friend that joke."  
  
Why was this true?  
  
A seven-year-old Ash sits stubbornly on his bed. It wasn't fair! His witch friend could leave the enclave whenever she wanted. But him, a REDFERN,  
  
couldn't.  Did they think he was a baby, which needed constant protection from  
  
those oh so dangerous humans? The humans that were food?  A vampire of the most powerful family?  He had cousins who were out in the real world. While he was trapped on this backward hellhole. It wasn't fair!  
  
"If you are a good boy, someday you may be allowed to explore the outside, and make us proud son."  
  
When the elders meant 'good', they didn't mean it the way vermin did. They meant a good Vampire- Ruthless, manipulative, a cold-hearted killer, someone like the enclaves founder, Hunter.  
  
If he wanted out he would have to convince them that that was who he was. He vowed to himself then that he would do whatever it took to get out of here.  
  
Manipulation after all was simply being a good actor. If it meant being mean, even to his sisters, he'd do it, so that at least one of them would make it out.  
  
Trick the Elders. But then he had fed off the praise he had received, like a  
  
Full tick. And if that had changed him, it was only becoming more of the ideal  
  
he had being taught to be.  
  
When he had gotten off the island, he had reviled in his newfound freedom. No one on the island had been able to have REAL parties. He had seen all these happy humans who didn't appreciate being free. But he would show them. He would take his revenge on vermin; prove that he WAS better than them.  That his world was the way he'd been told. He would become as well known as Quinn. So he hanged out with the right people to accomplish that, and exploited his new found freedom to the fullest.  
  
James had always been free, and when he had met Poppy, he had been able to read her mind. See how she adored his cousin... not for his looks either. Just for him. Not because of his position or money. He was jealous. James wasn't even a real Redfern and he was free and had this love. He couldn't just let it go.  
  
He had to teach him a lesson, and spread the misery that was deep down, the  
  
loneliness he hid. He hid it well.  
  
Bad Magic happens... If he had really wanted to expose her though, why had he brought her to the only human loving good vampire elder's mansion then?  
  
As far as he knew, he hated humans, and then his sisters had followed him by escaping to the outside world.... and the rest as they say is history.  
  
Night fell, and the stars still shined in the darkness, made more precious because they were rare, standing bright and small against the surrounding night. 


	7. Valentines Day, not the end

Chapter 7 of Seeking Favor  
  
Notes :: All right I get the hint finish this fanfic before Dragon's Bounty.  
  
_;;  
  
This chapter is very long. Been working on it for a week. Lot's of Action and  
  
further building of suspense.  This may be the midpoint of this story... I hope  
  
it was worth the wait. Please give me comments, they are the air I breathe. Any  
  
questions?  Even flames appreciated. Starsenshi_@hotmail.com  
  
::should be doing her creative writing story*-*;; oh well:::  
  
  
  
Feb. 14th had never been important to  Mary-Lynnette Carter. All through out  
  
school Bunny Marten would pass out valentines, wear festive clothes, set people  
  
up etc. While she had never seen the point of it. So there had been no reason  
  
for her to try and wake up early on friday the 13th. She had spent the evening  
  
with the girls. Learning about the enclave and Ash's childhood embarrassments.  
  
They all seemed to get some strange pleasure in telling her about them. Had he  
  
really dyed their family tutor's hair green? Was it possible that he then had to  
  
feed off of animals for a two weeks? The sisters had found that part  
  
particularly amusing. No one asked what they would be feeding off of if not  
  
animals. Mark almost did before his sister kicked him in the shins.  
  
Afterwards the witch had asked to eat dinner with them. No surprise. The  
  
Redfern sisters cooking was a scary thought. She didn't trust what lay in the  
  
Burdock farm cabinets just as much as the next sane person.  
  
It was midnight Jade and Mark were curled up on the couch watching some sappy  
  
movie. While she was showing off her Astronomy stuff off to the witch.  
  
"Oh I love how you decorated your room! The glowing stars all the blue  
  
"Thanks. Can I ask you a question?"  
  
"Sure. Shoot."  
  
"How did you already know about me?"  
  
"Um, did we ever mention who one of my friends in California is?"  
  
She was about to say no, but remembered something about 'family friend' along  
  
with some other facts she already knew- and it fit into place.  
  
"Ash."  
  
"You're as smart as promised." Laurel said pointing at her thumb back and  
  
winked.  
  
"He told you?" Exactly how much had he told her?  
  
"The basic yeah, description, name," Grin. "The fact that you're the poor soul  
  
forever bound to his-My condolences."  
  
"You and Ash... that is do you know how he's doing?" Mare said giving up on  
  
her original question.  
  
"Yes, So what do you want to know?" the witch asked  casually tossing a pen  
  
from hand to hand.  
  
How was she to phrase this? "What is he doing?"  
  
"Well  last time. a few days ago, he was sulking, but." She seemed to  
  
consider. " tomorrow he should be going to that big party, he likes those."  
  
"Oh." Disappointment washed over her.  
  
"What? If you really want to know, I've got his cell phone #."  
  
"No No I was just hoping he might have changed."  She said staring at the  
  
floor.  
  
The blonde witch looked a bit confused.  
  
"Changed? oh. oOOH! You mean... OH. sorry be more specific!"  
  
The human girl went on as if not listening at all. "His sisters said he was  
  
with some pro-human group, but I guess no-"  
  
Laurel waved her hands in front of her frantically. "No NO NO. He IS, Circle  
  
Daybreak, he's off righting wrongs helping save innocent humans, the world and  
  
all that good stuff. Witches honor!" She put  her hand over her heart.  
  
"He is?" hope reentered. "Is he-seeing anyone?"  
  
'Oh no. You kidding? It's Mary-Lynnette this, Soulmate that. He's beating off  
  
his fan club with a yew stick." She made motions of using a stick to keep them  
  
at bay.  
  
"Really?" He hadn't  forgotten her? She looked at the clock which flashed  
  
12:30 am, just knowing this was a V-day gift. Any thing else was just icing.  
  
"Yes that's why- well I'll see you tomorrow!" The witch said getting up  
  
quickly to go.  
  
*******************************  
  
"It stopped. It's been stationary for over twelve hours, and according to this  
  
it can't be in portland yet."  
  
"So? Why didn't you just ask her where's she was going instead of bugging her  
  
car?" another reasoned.  
  
"It's valentines day, and she DROVE."  
  
"So?"  
  
"She hates long car trips."  
  
"Is there a point to this?" the other voice was getting annoyed.  
  
" So. She must being doing a favor for Ashy-baby."  
  
" You're scaring me Amanda. when did you turn into a stalker?"  
  
"If we do something really bad, only once, are we still evil people? Murder.  
  
Even if it would make us happy? afterward?" Amanda's voice held intense  
  
desperation.  
  
"Amanda..." her friend was at a loss for words.  
  
*****************************  
  
"Mare Dear, wake up."  
  
Unmh." She rolled over and covered her head with a pillow.  
  
Claudine continued to knock.  
  
"There is some guy at the door with something for you."  
  
Mare's eyes flew open forgetting how tired she was. It was feb. 14th-Ash. She  
  
was hoping. It was a silly though. She's sent him away and she felt that he  
  
regarded her word  as law. Even still, she ran to the window. There was a  
  
delivery truck outside. It was too far to see what kind.  
  
Claudine was in mid knock when her step daughter rushed past her. She passed  
  
by Mark who was in the kitchen with breakfast. He dropped his spoon.  
  
"You're up. You're awake even." Awe flavored his voice.  
  
She nodded, sneaking out to the porch. Whoever it was had better not mind her  
  
starry blue pajamas. And stopped. The truck was driving off.  
  
"Hey, Mare, Look what I found on the kitchen table?" Mark said behind her.  
  
Glancing over her shoulder- "What the-" Numbly he handed her the envelope with  
  
her name on it. She took it on reflex, not glancing at it yet.  
  
Really with all the craziness already in her life you wouldn't think this  
  
would mess with her. What's the big deal you ask? Oh right. I didn't tell you.  
  
The porch- was covered in red rose petals, Silver fog blocked it from the rest  
  
of the world. Silver wavery tendrils crossed the edges of the boundaries. Four  
  
vases of roses, each with a dozen roses or by Mark's count. It was  
  
surreal-magical. What would make it perfect-was Ash himself n a black tuxedo, a  
  
single rose in his hand. She would gladly propel herself into his arms. She  
  
imagined he would look great in one, making his blonde hair standout. His casual  
  
smile.  
  
"So who do you think sent it?"  
  
She was broken from her revelry, looking at her brother sideways.  
  
"Okay, stupid question."  
  
There could be only one. As she wandered onto the porch, she spotted a rather  
  
large box wrapped in pale purple and midnight blue with gold stars tissue paper.  
  
She carelessly ripped open the note.  
  
Dear Treasure of my Heart,  
  
I love you. ( her heart fluttered at that.) True to your word I am slaying  
  
dragons figuratively as I don't want to leave you. seeking forgiveness,  
  
righting wrongs... I know you said I couldn't visit until this summer. But you  
  
don't mind me reminding you that I'm still here and waiting? right?  
  
(she found a little package wrapped in a poem. 'You're the star that directs my  
  
path. Shining bright. Thoughts of you remind me of the path I should take. This  
  
should help protect you the most precious of all in my eyes.' Inside held a  
  
silver necklace, itself inlaid with lapis lazuli,carrying a silver blue dragon  
  
that was wrapped around a star shaped crystal that reflected light in  every  
  
direction. It was beautiful, it was like owning her very own mini-star. )  
  
~ Love forever  
  
Your Ash.  
  
The large box held lots of random stuff, chocolate, a telescope lens... Mark  
  
was looking through it a little bit later.  
  
"He really is rich isn't he?"  
  
"Who is?" Their dad demanded at their front door.  
  
They  moved to block the box with their bodies as if that would do any good.  
  
Claudine was behind him. "Someone sent all of this to your daughter."  
  
Her dad's eyes bored into hers.  
  
"Are you keeping something from us?"  
  
"Uh.. no?" she responded weakly.  
  
Her father's eyes glazed over, and the siblings could have sworn they heard a  
  
voice mumbling something from the bushes. Whatever the case, instead of  
  
demanding an answer, the parental units left without another word, not demanding  
  
an answer as they should have.  
  
He couldn't possibly have fallen for that. "That was weird." Mark looked at  
  
his sister dubiously. "You're not that good of a liar."  
  
Mary -Lynnette was in the orbit of Pluto, smiling and putting on the necklace.  
  
He loves me! She spun around. She spun around in circles like a little girl.  
  
Mark stared. His sister was acting like a .. a Girl! Any thing Ash seemed to  
  
have this 'act completely nuts' affect on her. Maybe it was like a allergic  
  
soulmate reaction?  
  
"We've gotta show tell the sisters about this." she said grabbing his arm.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~(done esp. for Iryl)~~~  
  
20 minutes later. The young Carters entered the Burdock farm.( after getting  
  
dressed of course)  
  
Kestrel was coming out of the Kitchen with a look of disgust. She say Laurel on  
  
the couch reading. "Enjoy your little walk?"  
  
"Hmm? walk?" She said looking up with a face of mock innocence.  
  
Kes. snorted knowing better.  
  
A very cheerful Miss Carter entered. "Where's Rowan?"  
  
"In the Kitchen." Kestrel replied carelessly.  
  
"Why?" She asked as she opened the door, and regretted it.  
  
Rowan was either trying to make human food or odd shaped rocks. Either way it  
  
was a disaster.  
  
~Mary-Lynnette cringed away from the smell, covering her nose and wondering at  
  
the crazy look in Rowan's eye...~  
  
"Mary! I'm so glad you're here." Rowan said dragging  her over to the stove.  
  
"Could you try this and tell me what you think?" She offered the human girl some  
  
greenish brown fuzzy burnt and over cooked at the same time sponge like  
  
substance.  
  
She understandably panicked "*What* is this?" Buying some time.  
  
"Cookies can't you tell?"  
  
She didn't want to  hurt the vampires feelings by saying 'No.'  
  
To her relief, Kes and the witch choose that moment to come and save her.  
  
"What are you trying to do? Poison the poor human?"  
  
" It's not her fault she never learned how to cook."  
  
Rowan turned red. What kind of host was she to not be able to cook potable  
  
food for her guests?  
  
~~~~~~~~  
  
"So your Dad didn't even notice?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Weird."  
  
Kestrel glanced pointedly at the witch, who studied her nails studiously with  
  
a weird smile on her face.  
  
"Well anyway I think it was rather nice of our brother."  
  
"Yeah, how very un-Ash like." Jade said frowning.  
  
The witch snorted loudly and Kestrel was about to say something about it  
  
wasn't odd since their brother had been an undead casanova. Rowans death glare  
  
silenced that idea. She choose to clear her throat instead.  
  
"Well my work here is done." Laurel said getting up and stretching.  
  
"What work?" Rowan asked.  
  
The witch just waved. "Nothing Nothing."  
  
Monday morning Laurel left Briar Creek.  
  
In her Portland home, Iris Astrea was meditating.  
  
Her niece passed over the threshold when she heard a voice resonating in her  
  
head.  
  
~ Stop.~  
  
Iris soon greeted her in person. "How's my favorite niece?" She smiled warmly  
  
messing with the young girls hair.  
  
"Uh fine. Any info for C.D.?"  
  
"You know about the human slave trade back east?"  
  
" Yes it was mostly for feasts and Enclaves."  
  
" Well starting about 16 months ago someone we're guessing up in  Washington,  
  
is taking up the practice again. Besides it being illegal, and the fact we're  
  
dealing with professionals. Our local circle feels there's a witch on their  
  
side."  
  
"How many are being taken?"  
  
"In the last 6 months we're heard of about 200."  
  
"And the locals aren't noticing this?"  
  
"They're being taken up and down the west coast. My readings show that almost  
  
all of them are still alive if drained." Iris was a reader. Given something of  
  
the lost person and she could tell their status.  
  
"So it has to be an enclave, or else they wouldn't be kept alive at all. But I  
  
don't recall there BEING any enclaves on this side of the country." Laurel  
  
frowned.  
  
"And if there was they would have been doing this for longer."  
  
BEEP BEEP. They were interrupted by Laurel's Cell phone.  
  
"Hello? speaking."  
  
"What did she think?"  
  
"What did she think of what?" she teased.  
  
"'El!"  
  
"I'll tell you only in person."  
  
Ash made a few choice remarks.  
  
"What was that?" she said cheerfully.  
  
"Nothing."  
  
Thought so." So she filled him in on what Iris knew about their mission.  
  
"Well it appears that Jessica (the midnight witch) has got herself some sort  
  
witch lackeys. AND something big is going on. Next friday night at the Black  
  
Iris in Seattle. I think they're gathering more human slaves, maybe even  
  
recruiting them from far away."  
  
There was a long pause.  
  
"Well I guess that sets our plans for friday Feb. 25th." (yes a big time gap)  
  
"Joy."  
  
***************************  
  
Monday Morning Kes and Mary Lynnette  were on lunch break. People were handing  
  
out flyers. "Don't miss the senior trip!"  
  
Bunny Marten handed them one. "You guys will never believe it! There's this  
  
nightclub that's having a free ladies night the day we get there! Some of us are  
  
going to ditch for it, you two have to come with us." She said sounding a bit  
  
fake and contrived.  
  
Kes read the flyer.  
  
Dewitt High Senior Trip.  
  
Friday Feb 25-Monday 28th  
  
See the Seattle Space Needle.  
  
      Get the heck out of Briar Creek!  
  
"In Seattle?"  
  
"A real night club."  
  
"Sure, sounds like fun, count us in." Kestrel said eager to get out of  
  
hicksville for a while and see the rest of the human world.  
  
_ Some of the biggest mistakes are those where you don't know you're in danger  
  
until your caught._  
  
End chapter 7  
  
( yes very long chapter, it'll be a while before the next one cause finals  
  
start on the 20th for me _ gomen nasai!) 


	8. Revelations of witches 1

Seeking Favor Chapter 8. The long in being posted. _ please don't kill me! I promised myself I wouldn't be one of those fanfic writers who keep people hanging.but._.sorry. This is for Faith and everyone who kept asking me to post. Thanks to Sindel for reformatting this so that it can be posted at FF.net.  
  
Posters of numerous missing children covered the telephone poles. One was for a young girl named Jeanne McCartney: "Last seen at Pinewood Mall. Anyone with any information about her disappearance is asked to please contact the local police department." It was a few years old, and was almost in complete tatters. Iris had stacks of posters nearly identical to this one in her office. She helped parents find their missing children. She was horrified at the idea of harming children, even human ones. She was also entirely unaware that one of the masterminds of such attacks was at her door. Jessica, Ash, and two of her Circle Midnight lackeys stormed into her house. Jessica's face was red. "What is this talk of you working for vermin?" she spat. "Excuse me?" Iris said trying to maintain calm. "You are searching for vermin spawn, yes?" Jessica stated, contempt oozing from her large pores. Her eyes glittered with malice as her fingers drummed on the table. Iris struggled to refrain from strangling the younger witch. She drew herself up to her full height and glared imperiously down at Jessica. "There is NO law against helping humans as long as they don't know what we are. Even the Crone herself sells some of her remedies to humans. YOU, as a Daughter of Hellewise, can have no objections!" She stared at Jessica coldly and had the pleasure of seeing the other girl turn several interesting shades of red. "You're on thin ice, vermin-lover! One of the scum will figure out what you are and then Night World law will sing your death!" Jessica shouted, gleeful at the thought. "You have no say in my business whatsoever and are not a part of my circle!" Iris shot an icy glare at each of them, her eyes lingering on Ash. "It's just a friendly suggestion for your own good," Ash said, waving Iris off. Iris ignored his act. "Get out of my house. You should worry about yourself, Jessica Weald. You aren't even a full-blooded witch. I wonder what else taints your blood besides Redferns?" Iris closed her eyes. "Especially around cats." Jessica's eyes widened. It was well known that Astreas like Iris had the ability to see the future. "You watch yourself!" Jessica hissed as she flung herself back towards the door and made a clumsy exit. The other witches hastily followed suit. 'Smart thing too,' Iris thought. Had they lain even a finger on her, she'd have pulled out their hair strand by strand and would have had their every move carefully tracked. Ash heaved an excessively loud sigh of relief as the witches retreated. He flopped gracefully into a nearby chair and made himself at home. "Sorry about that. I needed her to trust me," he explained, looking totally unrepentant. Laurel came running from the backyard where she had been meditating. She looked from her aunt to Ash, eyebrows raised. "What was that?" she asked. "Unwanted company that your friend here had so kindly provided," Iris said, pointing to an innocent-looking Ash. "Laurel," Ash drawled, opening his arms. "Come sit over here and tell me of my wooing," he said teasingly, pointing to his knee. "You're horrible, Ash," Laurel shook her head, grinning. Iris straightened her clothes. "Let a Redfern into your house and they're bound to make a scene," she chided. "So-I'm here." Ash said to Laurel, losing patience. She waited until she was directly in front of him to reply. "She's a nice girl. SMART girl. I approve. Even if she is a bit paranoid.although being around you-that's a safe thing." "I don't CARE for your opinion of her. It doesn't in the slightest affect my feelings for my soulmate," Ash said, seriously agitated. "And I'm not a mind reader," Laurel replied evenly. "Keh." Ash made an expressive sound with his teeth. "What do you want from me? She seemed.pleased. When I left she was wearing the necklace," Laurel considered. "She asked what you were up to, whether you were seeing anyone.seemed interested." Ash relaxed a bit. "And you told her I was being good, right?" "I did?" Laurel answered skeptically. He waved her off. "Now is not the time for games. Keh. If you ever find your soulmate." he warned, waggling a finger at her. "You'll torture me too?" Laurel asked, grinning. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Amanda had finally found an excuse to go to Briar Creek. Ash wanted it, too. He'd flirted with her long before he'd joined Circle Daybreak. The whole soulmate thing was just a diversion. An. inconvenience that she could easily get rid of for him. She was enforcing Night World law. That was all. She passed a sign as she drove. 'Briar Creek. Population: 100. "Away from it all"' She was here. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Kestral watched gleefully as Briar Creek fell away from sight. No more empty places. No more humans. No pestering Jade. No lecturing Rowan. Oh, yeah! The prospects were finally looking good! If the night went well, once they reached the city, it would be free-range humans instead of the mangy animals she normally had to feed on. And no one would be there to stop her! Kestral looked around for Mare but couldn't find her. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ash never mentioned his soulmate. She didn't even know what her name was, let alone what she looked like. He didn't mention his family either, come to think of it. Did anyone know his parents' names? But then, he didn't like his parents much.and that meant that he didn't like his soulmate, either.right? If he did, then they'd be together, like the other Circle Daybreak couples were. Amanda pulled up to the dilapidated old house and parked. So this was where Laurel's car had been for so long. Amanda stared at the two story house in front of her and tried to devise a plan.Brown hair! She'd overheard him saying that his soulmate had brown hair. She'd go into this house and find a girl who looked about the right age and poison her. Amanda cautiously walked up to the house and knocked on the front door. A tall brunette that looked a lot like a model answered the door. "Hello? Can I help you?" she asked. 'This must be her!' Amanda thought. And why not? There was something different about this one. This must be her adversary. "Hi.I was on my way upstate to.see my friend, and, uh.Laurel Astrea.she said I should stop here on my way, um, there." Amanda rambled. "Funny, she didn't mention you when she was here.you must be a witch too, then," the girl said. She knew about the Night World! Enforcing Night World law meant that any human who knew about it must die. Amanda's lips curved into a vulpine smile at the thought. "Uh, yep, that's right. I'm a witch. Can I come in?" Amanda asked. "Sure, why not?" Model Girl replied. Amanda looked around the inside of the house. "So.are you alone right now?" she asked in what she hoped was a guileless voice. Her host blinked. "Yes.why?" She seemed honestly confused. "No reason." No witnesses. "Do you have anything to eat? I'm hungry.aren't you?" Amanda asked, trying to shift topics. "The kitchen's this way. So you're part of Circle Daybreak then?" "Yes," Amanda said as she watched Model Girl search the cupboards to find.fishing bait, a jar of prunes, some rather old looking chocolate, and other random junk food. Nothing in the cupboards seemed fit for consumption by anyone, vermin or otherwise. Amanda decided to take her chances with the chocolate and carefully bit off a chunk, grimacing slightly at the musty taste. "Sorry we don't have much. Does Ash do much there?" Model Girl asked, concern in her voice. Amanda froze at that. "Uh.he helps out. How about I make you something?" She offered quickly. "That's okay, I'm not hungry." The other girl said this as if it were obvious. "I make killer brownies." "I wouldn't want to bother you." By this point, Amanda was wondering if Ash's soulmate was purposely putting her off. The next step in all this was to get her name. If she knew her name, she could do even more damage. "I'm Amanda, and you are.?" "Oh, sorry! I should have told you before. I'm Rowan." "That's a lamia name." Amanda stated flatly, surprised. "Well, my family is traditional. Our father would be furious if we wanted to change our names to something less conspicuous," said Model Girl/Rowan in an almost apologetic tone. Amanda was beginning to get the sinking feeling that she'd made a big mistake. "What's your last name?" she asked tentatively. "Redfern. Why do you ask?" said Rowan. Shock. "You're Ash's sister." Amanda gaped. "Yes, but you knew that already, didn't you?" Rowan asked. So this was the errand she had been running for Ash. For his sisters. Amanda felt very stupid as Rowan led her to the living room and proceeded to tell her all about life in Briar Creek. It took three hours of listening to her babbling and answering questions before she was able to make an escape. She treated the information that Rowan had revealed about Kestral and her friend being in Seattle as completely unimportant. Meanwhile, Kestral and Mare entered Seattle. 


	9. Chapter 9a Seattle misunderstandings

Seeking Favor Chapter 9 (a)

By Spirit of Eowyn (Dragonwriter)

Rated- PG-13 for 'violence' and adult situations.

 I'm sorry for taking so long to get this to you guys; it's been a difficult chapter.

Thanks Sindel for beta reading for me!  This is my rougher draft, finished last week. I didn't want to make people wait 3 weeks to get this after how long it's been since I last updated.

 The last 5 pages will be posted Friday.(written but needs revising) This is is a 13 page chapter so I had to split it up. Nuff said, onward. Please REVIEW!

Seattle.

Ash winced as they pulled up to the apartment complex.

Laurel grinned at his discomfiture.

Ash rolled his eyes and glared at her. He thought about how much Jessica had been flirting with him. He knew he was supposed to get into the playboy mode but his heart wasn't in it.  

"Take one for the team, remember you're only doing this to get her to drink the truth serum." Laurel advised

Ash muttered fingering the vial.

"Which one is it?" 

"Number twelve." Laurel nodded assent.

"Give me fifteen minutes." Ash said stretching out of the car reluctantly.

 Laurel who thanks to a glamour looked like she weighed 20 more pounds, had short auburn hair and a forgettable face. 

Jessica was busy fussing with her hair. Ash had called to let her know that he was coming over with the excuse of trying her cooking.  She knew what he was really after. After all, she was available and he was never going to settle down. It was a perfect arrangement. He didn't bother knocking just let himself in and called. 

            "I'm here." Ash said in his characteristic sultry tenor. When he saw her come running to the living room trying to look casual but sexy-he felt ill. Low cut dress, up to her mid thighs. Usually this was supposed to be a good thing.  A girl he could use wanted him, now here was a situation he was used to. She expected the old Ash. Or to be more honest the showoff image he had put up.

            "So… where's dinner?" 

            "Right here." Jessica said smiling drawing her hair away from her neck.

Ash gulped but managed to look indignant and cool. "Actually * I* was thinking of having something to eat and drink." He gave off the air of the macho man who would not take orders from women. He walked over to the kitchen. Jessica looked a little disappointed but followed.

            Ash ate quickly and talked little. Jessica took little delicate bites. Afterward he asked for some red wine, more at ease. He insisted on getting the bottle himself. Jessica smiled. Ash took the opportunity to add the vial of truth serum to her glass.

            He handed her the glass and watched her take a sip. She frowned.

            "It tastes different."

Ash didn't even blink. He smiled his carefree seductive smile and let his eyes turn green.

            "You've found me out, I added a potent aphrodisiac for our pleasure."

That was right, Ash had many witch friends, he probably could have any girl he wanted. So, if he wanted a drug to add to it, well there was nothing wrong with that.

            "So that's why you bothered with those witches in Portland. I was wondering about that." She said smugly. Something was nagging her about that… but her mind was becoming fuzzy.

            "Right. What else?" he looked pleased. "Drink up"

Something was disturbing about his smile but his lips, if she could only reach them. She got up and practically threw herself at him. She clung to him and looked up at him as his arms held onto her tighter. This was what she was after. Sinew, strength, and power and the package was nice to look at.  Her mind kept on interfering while her body grew weaker.

            "Iris doesn't specialize in potions, she's only known for divination. She wouldn't have them."

Ash was on her neck, ready to bite. "Mmhmm."

            "Ash…" her voice began to really show her nervousness.

            "You wouldn't think so…do you really think I got it from her? Do you really think that's why I was there?" His voice was mocking her ignorance. Saying you got yourself in this situation little girl, so deal. His teeth scraped her neck as the door opened. Fear was replacing lust. She tried to call upon witch fire, but it wouldn't come. She was falling. He bit in quickly-messily draining her of more energy. Soon she couldn't see anything.

            Ash was a bit disgusted with himself. He'd been a playboy most of his life but at the moment when he'd had more than a chance, more than an excuse, he couldn't even bring himself to kiss the girl. He just kept picturing Mare in the room looking sad and disappointed. All sexdrive went Poof. Bye Bye, you're not getting any.

 His partner came in and cleaned up the evidence cleaning the glasses of any remains while he   wrapped Jessica up. Laurel started looking through her drawers for any evidence to Ash's annoyance. 

"Don't you think I did that while I was here those many times?" 

Laurel stopped. "Oh."

            "Let's go." Ash acted like he was in a hurry to get this over with.

A half hour later, they reached the appointed Redfern warehouse, by two different paths.

 The truth serum proved useful.

 Jessica awoke in a sort of trance, bound with medium iron wire. She couldn't really see her kidnappers they seemed fuzzy, their voices were unrecognizable. She had had dinner with Ash, they had started to fool around, and then… blank. Were they attacked?

 A face zoomed into her view.

"Jessica? Can you hear me?"

"Who are you?" She responded finding her voice to be rough.

"We're asking the questions, we know you're involved with all the human kidnappings lately along the west coast, where are they going? Where are you collecting them?"

She wanted to say that she didn't know what they were talking about but her voice spoke against her will.

"Here."

"Here…Seattle?"

"Yes."

"And it's for an enclave right?"

"Yes."

"Where is it? There aren't any enclaves in Washington. They're almost all back east. Is it a new one?" The voice seemed familiar to her; it spoke with such certainty about the matter. Her mind was muddled though.

"Yes, but-" tears formed in her eyes. She knew she couldn't be telling these enemies this.

Leave me alone! Her mind screamed and being part lamia, projected fairly well. There had to be someone else her captors could get this information out of. Someone who wasn't her and wouldn't make her die for it.

"Ash."

"WHAT?" Laurel and Ash looked at one another worried.

"Ash Redfern should know, ask him and leave me alone!"

"Why should Ash Redfern know anything about the enclave?"

"Because it's a Redfern enclave, he's tight with the elders, ask him and let me live."

The voices whispered together.

What a sell out, she'd give out his name to kidnappers to be spared? He thought he was more popular with the ladies than that.

"Do you suppose she means that one of the Redfern clan, close to the Nightworld elders is in on this?" Laurel whispered to him

"They'd have to be keeping it really quiet for me not to have heard about it, I'll have to get back into Council politics." He whispered back

"Why are they taking humans now all of a sudden then? Why haven't they been doing this all along? Is it a new enclave?" the male questioned.  One that I've never heard of? Ash added to himself in surprise.

Jessica giggles and in a slightly crazed sing song voice recites.

"It's old. Wait for the black dawn to come and kill them all.  All the vermin. It's awakened, and the human world is doomed, one of the four is on our side already! The long forgotten kings."  Ash and Laurel seem puzzled both seem ready to ask more questions but the serum was wearing off as her eyes become more focused and her proper skin color was returning. Iris wouldn't make a truth serum capable of killing. 

"That's the problem with working with C.D. witches they're afraid to hurt anyone, even the people who deserve it. Heck All I'd have to say is oooh I'm sorry I changed, I 'm a good guy now. See? I'm petting the fluffy rabbit. And even Hunter could join." Ash says exasperated

 "It's part of the whole 'good' thing, they're afraid of doing something shady." Laurel Shrugs

"No it's part of the whole naive thing. We've what? Five more minutes?" Ash corrects.

The fear of what the others will do to her was returning to Jessica's face. They would dispose of her, and then who would look after Sylvia? Who would stop people from calling her a fowl half-breed?

    "You won't get any more out of me." Jessica said stubbornly ignoring that she was tied up.  Jessica was gazing behind and to the right of them. If they thought that she had resisted them, maybe they would spare her sister.

            "Oh come on, you don't owe them any loyalty. They're done nothing for you, they're using you." Laurel said with a mix of begging and disgust.

 Laurel and Ash became silent, having the weird creeping sensation of being watched.

"You're like a cat yourself aren't you?  Ready to claw-" Ash cut her off

" For the last time- who is behind this that I should know?" His manner dangerous.

            "Hu-"

It was too late, Jessica and her interrogators knew that (not just suspected) three seconds before a metal dart whizzed past Ash's ear (who'd moved before it hit him last minute.) Jessica's eyes grew wide and a scream issued forth, stunted by the dart in her throat. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    She'd betrayed them, friendship no longer mattered.  She'd hoped at the apartment that she'd be able to track her down before it was too late. They'd both known the penalty was death. Teigra couldn't afford to get on their Boss's bad side. She tried to ignore the stench of death, and comforted herself that the poison worked fast. She had to leave before her tiger side took over, she would not eat her once friend. Their council member boss would not allow his secret wild power become general knowledge, whether for C.D. or for any branch of the night world. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.

    Jessica makes feeble choking sounds and makes a lousy attempt at a proud smile.

 Laurel looks pitying. 

" Well there goes that." Ash looks around for the assassin but only sees a fleeing bit of orange streak past a window. The shifter was too fast for him to hope to catch. It couldn't know his identity but if he tried to pursue his glamour would wear off.

" We were lucky that that whoever followed us only had one of these."

Laurel said prying out the dart carefully.

Ash looked revolted as he turned on the fast failing witch.

" Your own did this to you, it didn't even bother trying to hit us."

His eyes unfocused for a second ignoring the dying witch's convulsions but looked in her ' I trusted you' eyes for an answer. He ignored the blame, ignored that death was giving her the sight- to see who he really was. "You." was the sound she was probably trying to make but it could easily have been his name it was so garbled.

 "She's protecting someone, how out of character." He said caustically.

Laurel had disliked Jessica but held her hand and whispered of release in the last moments of this life of Jessica Weald. Perhaps she was trying to absolve herself of her part. Dislike should not get in the way of a proper death. Laurel wasn't a healer, never had been, all she could do for Jessica was to whisper the prayers she'd been taught to bless witches before they met Hecate. It seemed a feeble gesture.

Neither had wanted Jessica's death, both had too much blood on their own hands already. ~She would've been a useful contact, easy to manipulate-~ Ash thought and regretted it. ~See Mare? I've been trying for over six months and I don't think I'll ever be as pure as you are. I just thought of a witch, a nightworlder- as a pawn, and didn't even cry at the death.~

   Laurel and Ash drove back to their own apartment both deep in their own thoughts.

 Laurel felt certain sympathy for Sylvia and Jessica. They had the lamia/witch thing going on just like her. They probably had the same sort of prejudice against them growing up of not being 'pure'.  This was why she had persuaded Ash that they shouldn't capture the younger girl for bait.  Ok Persuaded was a bad choice of words, bribed or suggested was better; you couldn't force Ash to do anything. 

There was no point now of chasing the assassin, they either were found out which was doubtful or continued with the plan as normal, only with Sylvia their way in. Their glamour's were beginning to fade back to normal. Laurel looked like she was getting liposuction as they drove. Ash's face was more recognizable. His thoughts wandered as dawn approached. What would Jessica have meant by 'Hu-' hu-mans? A weird yelp? A name? Or something else entirely.

            ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

      Sylvia was told by Teigra of her sister's death but not who had killed her or why. A part of her suspected that it might have been a punishment by the gleam in the shifter's eye. It even could have been a personal enemy of her older sister's. She had enough of them. Why had she left her to completing this task on her own?  She couldn't just cancel tomorrow's party. It was planned. The boss knew about it, they would be expecting a shipment on Saturday, if she failed- she would meet her sisters fate. Sylvia still had plenty of things left to live for, enough things to prove. She would not be the failure.

.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Dewitt High seniors burst out of the bus with a maniacal glee.

 They spread before the teachers could more than tell them their hotel assignments.  Some of the teachers seemed relieved. Some went to the beach, another set to the mall. Kestrel and Mare were among those dragged to the later. Bunny and friends quickly lost them much to each group's mutual relief. Each fragment promised to meet each other at this "Black Iris" club later that night.

Kestrel's eyes lit with joy. All these humans untasted swarming together. They smelled better than the ones cramped on the bus to Briar creek, more vital. As if that wasn't enough, her parents had sent her a credit card as an early graduation gift, and there were clothes. Tank tops, shirt shorts, mini skirts, and all the things that growing up on an enclave she'd been denied. Junk food, flashing neon lights, so wholly opposite to home. It was heaven. It was too bad that her friend Mare didn't seem quite as enthusiastic about it.  They could fix that though. 

"Come on Mare, let's find some REAL clothes. My treat." Her teeth showed. Shopping after all was a lot like hunting. They found a frilly peasant shirt a similar shade as Mare's eyes, which stood out especially well when she saw the price.

"This is waaaay to much for one lousy shirt." She complained.

Kestrel waved her credit card. " I do want to use this you know. Live a little."

Kestrel found a perfect tiger print tank top from Lerners New York. It didn't hide too much Even with the dark see through shirt over it. They were in line to buy said clothes when a silver haired witch and a human boy being dragged along cuts ahead of them to buy her clothes. Kestrel complains loudly. Mare looks up and realizes that the girl isn't human. Her silent attempts with hand signals to warm Kes fail, as she is too annoyed. Sylvia turns around sharply to lay a curse on the loud girl, when she stopped realizing that one of them was a vampire. Circle Midnight was less lenient on messing with nightworlders than with humans. 

"I've had a bad week, so just humor me ok."  The silver haired girl says and flashes her dahlia ring.

 Kes stops and stares at it realization dawning with an evil smile crossing her face. 

"I'm Kestrel Redfern and you are?"  

Realizing that the other girl is pulling rank, Sylvia raises her nose

 "Sylvia Weald, my mother was a Redfern, so don't try that superiority thing on me."

She says in scorn.

"Yeah? Maybe you've heard of my brother then-"

The human boy, Miles blinks confused by the girls fighting cuts in. 

"So you two are related or something?" he said pointing from Sylvia to Kestrel not seeing the resemblance, had their been one.

So that was what a witch looks like, Mare thought, and knew that the boy although handsome was human, no nightworlder would ask such a question about the Redfern clan.

 Kestrel snorted and said no more, she wasn't going to say anything with that human boy around. A few hours later Kestrel was surprised however how quickly she became bored with trying on clothes and carrying them around. They were being driven to their hotel by the taxi when Kestrel saw the space needle and inquired about it.

"There's a restaurant at the top" the taxi driver informed them.

Kestrel smiled, ah yes next on her list of things to do, eat expensive human food.

            "Next, we're eating there."

The space needle was extremely expensive but the view, from the rotating top was worth it. Kestrel enjoyed ordering most of what was on the menu. She was a very messy eater though not being used to using silverware.

The night skyline and the moon fascinated mare. She fingered the necklace Ash had given her. The moon… Jeremy would have been with her here, been her friend wanting more, but here if she'd never met Ash. Heck, he still would have been alive. Would he have killed Mrs. Murdock if the sister's had gone somewhere and never came to Briar Creek? Her life would have been simple then. She would have only thought about going to college, not about the end of the world, the nightworld, or the one worth fighting for. But she wouldn't have been living in the real world; she would have been a naïve girl perfect for some vampire to prey on.

And here she was eating with one.

When they reached the bottom of the building, Mare looked up hoping to see the stars, but all she saw was clouds the moon peeking behind them. It was too bright here, too many human made lights; she could barely tell that it was night. It was disturbing. She didn't like it. She didn't like the city. It was all too gray and impersonal.

" We'll still be looking at the same sky." Kestrel said mockingly putting her arm around Mare.

Mare grumbled.

"Come on we're late for the club!" Kestrel said dragging her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Meanwhile Ash and Laurel met Sylvia at the party at the local Black Iris. Sylvia rattled on and promised 'food' in a falsely sing song voice. Miles wasn't there. But they didn't find that odd, as Sylvia had never mentioned him. Sylvia was a harder nut to crack, one of many reasons Ash had preferred Jessica.

            "Where is your sister Jessica? I thought I was going to discuss all of this with her." Laurel asked in a 'genuine' concerned manner looking to Sylvia and then to Ash. "Did you lay her up? You know witches don't have as much stamina as you do!" speaking in a lightly annoyed matter of fact way. As if he were a cat that had eaten the pet mouse.

            " No she stood me up. What's up with that?" Ash acted offended.

            Sylvia was quiet for a moment. Knowing that something like this was going to happen, but still it was a hard thing to admit to strangers.

            "She's dead."

Ash blinked in surprise convincingly. And then passed at the appropriate moment to looking upset. Laurel did the confused bit followed the 'I said something wrong didn't I' complete with hand over her mouth.

            Ash also did the obligatory.

            "Who? Why? How?"

And Laurel played good cop and said " Ash! She probably doesn't want to talk about it! It was her sister for crying out loud!" dearly hoping that Sylvia would choose that route. 

~~~~~~~~

About half of the Dewitt high seniors were gathering outside baring before her the flyer she had received as Senior Trip Coordinator. If Mary-Lynnette had known what the flyers were really for, she would have wondered even harder if it were possible that Bunny Marten with the lamia name wasn't one after all.  The Black Iris, which had a banner declaring that tonight newcomers were welcome, looked much like any other nightclub. Bunny smiled for the group proudly displaying the flyer to get in. The nightworlders grinned at her, they could see an easy air headed meal when it passed them. 

As everyone walked in Mare thought she was the only one to notice that there were many nightworders around staring at them. The Black Iris reminded her of Jeremy and his black foxglove ring. It sounded familiar.

"Kes? Haven't we heard of this place before, somewhere?" Mary-Lynnette asked over her shoulder, wary as she followed Bunny and Stacie to a table.

"Of Course we have. I've been wanting to go here since I… err left home." Kes responded making sure that the other nightworlders didn't think she was giving away secrets.

"Home?" Mare turned around slightly alarmed. "As in this is a place that the err strangely beautiful relatives of yours come?"

"Well yeah." Kestrel Redfern said as if stating the obvious.

Stacie who had heard a little of what they had said tried to join in.

" Really? So there are a lot of hot guys where you come from?" Stacie said sounding excited and obviously noticing the vampires although only seeing them as attractive city men.

" And you didn't see that as a problem?" Mare said feeling a bit betrayed.

A group of guys asked most of the girls at their table to dance with them, ignoring Kes and Mare since it seemed that they were arguing. It wouldn't be a stretch to say that they also thought that Kestrel was about to have her own dinner.

" My brother goes to this chain of clubs, so of course it's dangerous, that's what makes it fun." Kestrel said in the same tone.

"Especially dangerous for me and say… them?" Mare said the last whispered.

" And I should bother with their life expectancy because?"  Seeing Mare's look of horror she added reassuringly " Just stick by me and you'll be fine, relax have a little fun. All clubs are dangerous in one way or another."

Mare only looked a little relieved.  Kestrel made a very quick staking her claim on Mare gesture towards the next guy that came by, hoping it would be passed along. 

            " So the flyers were for…" Mary-Lynnette didn't want to complete that sentence she thought she already knew the answer.

            "Fresh free dinner." Kestrel said showing some teeth. "Speaking of which, I'm a bit hungry myself, so if you'll go grab us some drinks, I'll go get a _quick_ bite to eat."

            Mare looked ill. She'd gotten herself into a not so happy situation, knowing that reminding Kestrel that Rowan had forbidden them from 'eating' humans was a useless gesture. Kestrel had always been the wilder one. What was she going to do? Find all the people at her high school that had never been nice to her, and tell them they had to leave because their partners wanted to eat them? Seriously. They'd laugh and think that she meant something more perverted and smile as if it was all-good. Mare practically fled to get the drinks. As she looked around, she saw some of the nightworlders doing some things in public that shouldn't even be done in private. And Ash had been a member of this chain of clubs. Not just a casual visitor, a full blown worse than Kestrel was suggesting member. Her fingers found Ash's necklace, comforted. He had said that it would bring her some sort of protection.

            The bartender grinned at her in a manner suggesting that he was expecting a meal later too. 

            " A Pina Colada and a bottled water." 

The bartender didn't even bother asking for ID, he didn't even bother asking for money.  He licked his lips at her. Yeah Mr. Bad-y? I don't think you'll be getting any of this girl tonight thank you. She grabbed the water for herself; the last thing she needed in this lions din was to get herself intoxicated. It would be as dangerous as waving a blood covered handkerchief.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 Ash was getting bored of Sylvia's babble about what a powerful witch she was, how he and the rest of the Redferns didn't need to worry because she had things under control. She even insinuated that her sister's death was a good thing, leaving this 'important business' in her hands. Which were capable. He wouldn't be surprised if she also added her looks as an added bonus to the 'important business.' He didn't have to pay attention anymore, just look like the pretty figurehead anyways. Laurel was the one trying to gain further information.

 His eyes began to wander to the drinks that were being brought from the bar especially for him and his partner. He compared her talking to the brain numbing effects of alcohol on humans. It seemed fair enough. He glanced at the bartender had stopped making Ash's drink to talk to some brunette. Hmm human by the way she stood no grace at all really. One of the 'food' to be captured for the enclave that he was supposed to already know everything about but didn't. She wore more clothes than most of the girls there. Hmm that butt looked familiar, nice curves too, where had he seen those long legs before? The girl made it even harder to see as she pointed back at a table. Hmm. A table with a dark golden vampire girl holding onto a human male loosely and chatting with a guy across the way. No way. It couldn't be.  He was now intently staring at the vampire.  KESTRAL?! What in the name of tight bikinis, was she doing here? He blinked. Oh, she was so dead.  It simply couldn't be a Kestrel look-alike. When he got his hands on her-And who was the brunette that had been pointing at his soon to be much staked younger sister? 

 ::Laurel starts to notice that Ash doesn't look bored anymore, but unfortunately it was becoming apparent to Sylvia that he was by no means paying any attention to her anymore.:: He had the intense stare from a poor college student at a name brand store with a 93% off sale who had forgot his money, to one who was about to murder to get an A in his math class. She followed his gaze. Sylvia couldn't have missed Laurel's own surprised 'I'm no longer listening look'. Because Sylvia was about to do something rather stupid. While Laurel was too preoccupied trying to figure out how Kestrel had gotten here, and how to stop Ash from killing her, Sylvia tired of being ignored made her move.

 Ash made as if to get up, and Sylvia grabbed him by the collar- and kissed him. It might have worked on the old Ash but it only served to make the current one Ash more upset.

 She thought she was being cute and cunning. It however also served a purpose she had not intended.  

Mary-Lynnette was trying to get the idiot bartender to get the hint that she was with someone, by pointing at Kestrel and letting him think what he would of it. She felt as if she were being watched. Well of course, she was all these vampires and worse looking for a free meal. But something like magic, made her turn around and spot the Silver haired witch she and Kestrel had met earlier that day. She was on the midlevel at a table at the other side of the room. The human boy wasn't there but probably the most gorgeous guy she'd ever seen was getting up to lean a little closer towards her. He became clearer as he came closer. Sylvia now had her back mostly towards her clinging to his shirt and kissing him passionately. Her logical mind was analyzing what she was seeing desperately trying to find a flaw.

For the most gorgeous guy she had ever seen was Ash.

( dun dun du---n  cliffhanger……….. yeah right. I'm not _that_ cruel this is only the end of chapter 9a) The other part  (this is 8 ½ pages by itself) is currently being finished and should be posted this week before Saturday when I leave for California)

Author notes: Have you ever noticed that whenever there is a scene where the good guys are interrogating the bad guys in a warehouse type building, that the bad guy is killed by their own people? They never survive. While good guys survive or are rescued. (an example is Star Wars episode 2) It's one of the laws of the universe or something.

I'm sorry this took so long to post, I've been debating how to work this chapter, getting the timing right and all that- all summer. Don't shoot bananas at me!


	10. chapter 9b Nightclub

Disclaimer: I have been blessed in many ways, owning Ash isn't one of them. The nightworld and all of it's people belong to L.J. Smith. I only hve dibbs on my new characters, which I can't trade up for. Dang. I would have settled for money too. Me= extremely poor college student with no job or prospects, or a car or working computer, sueing me would be a waste of effort.

Notes: Yes, Mary-Lynnette had issues. Ash has issues. The whole cast of the N.W. have personal issues. Deal with the angst. On ward.

~ The rest of Chapter 9 (b)

"A part of her was shredding while another said 'See? This is why I told you he had to leave; he was going to betray us. Of course he's kissing her, she's pretty just like all the others here, pretty and not going to mess with his world view.' But it didn't help with the pain.

 Why had he even bothered with the whole Valentines Day thing?  Or made the effort to act like he cared for her? Because he felt guilty, that he was going to leave her? Or had he had anything to do with it at all? It had been an extremely romantic thing, and guys of course couldn't have thought of things like that. They didn't. He'd forgotten her just like her father had forgotten her mom as soon as she died and gone after the closest lady to be his. At that moment of epiphany, Ash bothered to open his eyes and see her, and dared to look shocked and angry. Yeah Ash?  She thought. So, I'm here at your stupid club, bet you weren't expecting to see me. Go on don't let me stop you. She fled towards Kestrel.

            Sylvia finally let go of Ash.

            " That's for ignoring me," She said coyly taking his anger for something else. "Don't worry in a few minutes the REAL fun will begin."

He pushed her away.

Ash wished he didn't know what she meant. Of all places for his Mare to be! She was going to get herself killed! And lets not add the look on her face when she saw him, not; I'm soo glad to see you, no with his bad karma. No. She'd seen him in what looked like he was kissing Sylvia. I mean sure his lips had touched hers, but it wasn't as if he had started it. Couldn't she see that it was the other way around?  Wasn't it obvious that the little whore had been pushing herself on him? He was the victim here!

He fled to protect his soulmate from this place with only a " DON'T you Dare EVER try that again."  Complete with death glare at Sylvia. He leaked rage.

            Laurel covered for him " He really doesn't like girls who take the initiative with him. It's a guy thing." She explained as if seeing this one coming. Which she hadn't. Thank goodness for acting classes.

Sylvia gaped but recovered. "Where is he going?"

            "Didn't you notice?" Laurel pointed at Kestrel.  "That's his sister Kestrel, she's grounded to a hick town and is going against him. He's very controlling of all of his sisters you see."

Laurel said trying to distract her in a tone of semi-bored chitchat. She personally suspected that there was also someone besides Kestrel around of concern to Ash. Of all the bad timing.

            "Controlling?" Sylvia said outraged, after all she was a witch.

"I know I know, don't look now but he's going to teach her a lesson."

Sylvia watched.  Wasn't that the same Kestrel Redfern she'd met earlier that day? With the human?

            Ash grabbed Mare by the arm and dragged her to one of the 'quiet' rooms glaring at Kestrel before he did so. Sylvia looked back at her for a commentary.

            "What do you know, he's taking the one human Kestrels been using as cover at school, well, cover and lunch." At Sylvia's upset look, the one she had been expecting she finished.

"What? She erases the girls memories every time."

Sylvia made a humphing sound.

            "Don't count on Ash eating now, I think he's 'sharing' Kestrels' which should make her mad, hey look there she goes to follow him." Laurel suddenly had a plan blossom. "In fact I don't think we'll be able to attend the bloodletting before you ship the slaves now, duty calling and all."  A few C.D. agents would try to follow Sylvia from the club tonight when she left, but with the slave trade on the east coast being larger it might take months before they had enough manpower to shut this place down. It would be too suspicious for them if it stopped tonight anyhow.

            Greatly relieved Laurel began the ending of their dealings with Sylvia that night.

            When Ash grabbed Mare the pink haze only made his anger more potent for her getting herself in harms way. What had she been thinking?

 Kestrel didn't walk away unscathed from the affair either, his glare at her on the way promised more when he was done.

~OUTSIDE KESTRAL NOW~ Kestrel looked shocked and winced at his telepathy.

Once they were both inside the private soundproof and camera proof room reserved for the elite well known, He let his anger be known.

            "What in hell are you doing here?"

She grabbed her arm from him and glared.

            "If I'd known you'd have been here with_ her_ I wouldn't have bothered!"

Mary-Lynnette need not have said who her was, he knew, he'd seen her look at him. He blushed.

            "I didn't! She was the one, do you really think I kissed_ her_?"

Her face said she did. "It sure would go with your shining reputation now wouldn't it?"

            "I'm trying!" He said with a desperate undertone.

There was a loud bang against on of the walls as if a lot if people like lemmings had run into it.

            Ash shook his head and attempted to grab her again. "There's no time for this. Don't you know what's going on here? It's dangerous for you! Do you think I want to see you dead?"

 There was something about the serious almost worried look in his eyes made her feel that there was real danger. 

            "What do you mean?" Ash looked a bit relieved, she was being reasonable for once!

            "I'm here to try and stop-Mare they're gathering humans to be_ slaves_ for an enclave, daily drugged food for a mass of nightworlders, killed on a whim. You've got to get out of here!"

            " What? Can't I defend myself? I did pretty well against Jeremy." She argued pride wounded. But the flyers were making more sense now.

            "I am not going to let you kill yourself." He looked dead serious, a new look for him.

            "I'm not incompetent-" He grabbed her and shook her, looking angry.

            "You're outnumbered. You have no idea how many they've already taken."

There was certain logic to his words. But she was feeling too betrayed to simply let it stop there. His hands were still tight on her forearms, although he seemed a bit ashamed that he had to do so.

            Someone knocked three times before coming in followed directly by Kestrel.

            "Leave her alone." Kestrel said to her brother who looked like he might be ready to throttle Mare.

            Ash rounded on his sister. " What were you thinking bringing her here? What are you doing out of Briar Creek anyway?"

            "Senior trip." Laurel responded, who had been questioning Kestrel before entering the room. It was a good thing too because Kestrel did not appear to be in any mood to answer questions coming from her brother. She was too busy glaring at the far wall, arms folded.

            "It seems they were lured her with flyers about a free party, I wonder how many of these they're been passing around, maybe we should start looking for high school seniors on our list and see how many there were?"

 Mary-Lynnette seemed to be processing this information differently. If this girl was acting as if Ash's story were true then it was less likely to be a cover story for Ash's partying. Maybe he had been here for a legitimate reason. But still another voice reminded her, that gave him no right to be kissing someone else! How could he have said that he wasn't kissing that girl, she'd seen him do it and he had seen her see him do it!

            Ash nodded but in the sort of way that made Mary-Lynnette feel like this project wasn't the top priority on his list at the present.

            "We've got to get them out of here." He said addressing his partner. 

            "We could fake dinner."              
 "Which reminds me, what are we going to do about the blood feast?"

            "Don't worry I already got us out of that one." Laurel said pleased with herself.

            "Why do we have to 'get out of here'? Things are starting to get exciting." Kestrel complained.

            "Would you rather that she get sent to an enclave as a slave? Hmm?" Ash said pointing to his soulmate. He didn't dare say her name aloud around everyone else, too much emotions there.

He knew that all of his sisters had always had issues with the human slaves at home.

            A few things were starting to click for Kestrel. "They're capturing slaves here. That's what this whole party was about?"

            "Give her a prize, took you long enough, yes Kestrel." Ash said annoyed.

 He kept on feeling that at any moment someone would rush in and find them all there. He had a terrible image of his soulmate being dragged away by a bunch of shifters, those whom she feared most, never to lay eyes on her again. It was making him very agitated. He was facing what must be the outside wall. Now if he'd listened to Jessica talk about this particular club, there were supposed to be exits from this room used to dispose of the 'accidental' deaths without disturbing the rest of the nightclub. All her bragging- he wished he'd paid more attention to it now. Voice activated? No. A human could seemingly escape that way. His eyes showed him what a human couldn't see, fine lines in what appeared to be a solid metal wall. A dent at the right angle. He put his fingers in the right spot and pulled. A doorknob appeared behind it.

"This way."

They followed to find an alleyway generally filled with nightworlders.

"Excuse me." Ash said passing them, his macho attitude back, dragging Mare behind him, who was surrounded by Kestrel and Laurel. Mare remained silent. She wasn't stupid. She'd wanted out of that club five minutes after she got in.  But if he thought that she'd forgiven him, she'd show him later just, how much of a fool she was not.

No one stopped them. They didn't look easy to fight and dragging humans to a second location was common. A few minutes later, they had gotten far enough away that the street seems normal. Ash felt free to glare daggers at Kestrel. Mary-Lynnette backed away from him. Laurel kept looking behind them, making sure no one got too curious about their activities. They had to return to Sylvia, look over the slaves as if they were interested as soon as the violence was over. They couldn't be found out here. She used her cell phone to call one of the C.D. friendly taxi drivers to come and pick up Kestrel and Ash's soulmate and take them back to a safe house until it ok for them to return to their hotel. She tried her hardest to get kestrel to come a ways off with her to give the soulmates some privacy. From the girl's reaction to Ash, she must have seen Sylvia and him.

Ash and Mare looked at each other in an uncomfortable silence. Both seemed to be emotionally drained.

"Yes, we need you to take two contacts to a safe location for a while, no we can't do it, or we would have." Laurel said rolling her eyes.

            Mare glanced at Laurel and then rounded on Ash finding an excuse to say something.

            "You're sending us off then? Not even asking if I want to go?"

            " Mare." He said tried. Right now, anger gone and immediate fear subsided he wanted nothing more than to embrace her, kiss her and personally see to her safety and never leave her side again. But duty called. He couldn't go yet, and she wouldn't let him.

            "No, no more lies, you know what? I'm glad we're leaving, I don't want to be around you again." Mary-Lynnette tried to make it vicious just to make him hurt like she was, but it ended up sounding frustrated.

            Ash looked like a kicked puppy. Mary-Lynette immediately regretted her words. Surely this was just another one of Ash's manipulative strategies so that he could hurt her more, the voice in her head justified.

            Ash noticed that she was wearing the necklace he'd had Blaise make for her. Where had things gone wrong? What did the universe have against him being happy?

            The taxi driver chose that moment to pull up leaving issues very unresolved.

He couldn't think of a come back. He watched his sister and Mare enter the taxi as if it had been their idea all along.

            He watched them go and then turned to go back inside, duty kept him from turning around.

            Sylvia ran up to him. 

" Kestrel isn't old enough to be participating in this sort of thing, Bloodfests are meant for the men in the family anyway. How dare she try. How dare she defy me!" Ash said loudly to Laurel who nodded.

Mare turns around in the taxi to see Sylvia running up to Ash. Her heart sank. He doesn't love you!

Kestrel looked at her. "If Ash and Laurel are really part of Circle Daybreak they'll find some way to save our naïve stupid classmates." Kestrel gave every impression that she thought it was a waste of time. Mary-Lynnette was human, she had to keep reminding herself that, and so she probably was worried about her own.

" I want to go back."

"Honestly you couldn't help them, you're only human, and you'd end up becoming a burden." Kestrel said firmly.

"What about Ash?"

Kes grins with family pride. "My brother is a lot of things, but he can more than take care of himself in a fight. I'd feel more sorry for anyone who gets in his way." 

 Mare was a bit disbelieving since she saved his neck last summer not the other way around.

There had to be some truth to it though, after all he was the head of his family who weren't known for being subservient. He had to be ok. Ash was clever.  According to his sisters, he was feared, respected and fairly well known, he had to be feared for something besides the dark things she'd seen in his mind last year.

Sylvia was starting to lead them back, saying things were almost ready.

The C.D. partners looked at each other, both knowing that they weren't going to be able to get all of the humans out, had they been able to find all of them. It became apparent that the humans had been scattered and isolated.

"Oh too bad, most of them are already drugged, bad blood. So sorry." Sylvia said not acting the least bit sorry. She still wasn't over the perceived insult from Ash.

"None of them looked really worth _my_ time." Ash said negligently playing the Elite Redfern leader.

Sylvia stiffened, offended. He made it sound like she was incapable of finding anything worth his attention. How typical. Like so often she wished that her mother had not been a witch, then she could have least claimed the Red fern name. But Hunter could change that. She would not be overlooked.

Ash looked around deliberately dismissive as he followed Sylvia to look at the vans where about twenty humans lay in a heap. Laurel snuck away to find another group of humans that she could help liberate. Now what kind of spell were the humans under? She hoped that she'd brought the right stuff to break the effect. She was lucky enough to find a few that were still just strewn on a few boxes. They looked sorta purple in the face. No doubt, Sylvia's friends expected that they were so drugged that they'd be asleep for days. The blood loss didn't help much. Stupid humans. Just a little bit of this on the tongue mixed with iron. Iron loss was a large factor in what made blood loss cause weakness. Push that bone down, make them breath in that.

One of her 'patients' started to move.

"Go home." She said dismissively as if to a stupid kid who's been burned after not listening to reason.

The girl blinked in fear and confusion.

Laurel continued with a few more idiots, ready at any moment to dash off if anyone came back.

Meanwhile Ash was deliberately getting into a fight with the werewolf who was in charge of the new slaves and enjoying it.

" Did you hear this one wolfy boy? Why was the werewolf arrested in the butchers shop?   
He was chop-lifting."

The werewolf glared at him.

"No?  No sense of humor huh? Do you know how to stop a werewolf from attacking you? Throw a stick and shout fetch!" He seemed to be telling the joke to Sylvia now.

The werewolf growled. 

"What? Do you have something to say?" Ash said in challenge.

The two boys went at it. Sylvia threw up her arms at them. 

Ash deliberately got in her way so that wolfy ended up hitting her in the face. Now this was fun. The wolf was so upset that he was laughingly careless. It was a sort of therapy. Beating a wolf up was a nice way to take out his frustrations. By the time Ash was done the wolf a bloody pulp on the ground and Sylvia was knocked out. Ash 'accidentally' spilled Sylvia's pouch from her pocket that she'd been bragging about and dumped it on her. That should do the trick. Now, to make off with the van or just drag the humans out of there? Oh, what the hell, he could always claim that he was simply confiscating evidence, since Sylvia hadn't delivered a meal. Easier that way.  He grinned. No point in working harder than he had to.

Laurel appeared, and apparently didn't agree.

"ASH! We were supposed to have people follow her, and find the rest of them! They can't do that with her dead unconscious!"

Ash shrugged as if the big plan didn't matter anymore. "Heat of the moment. She deserved it!" He wiped his lips trying to get them clean.

"You big… big ego-freak!" She raged, hating change.

"The situation changed, deal with it. Yeesh you're soo inflexible." He complained. He was not in the mood to deal with her. He had his own concerns. As if seeing that in his face she dropped the subject.

Later that night, Ash stood on his balcony looking up at the sky. Mare must hate me now. There is no doubt now. She probably thinks I was trying to buy her affection to use her. She's seen what I've done before. She hates me trying to 'control' her. But I just want her alive. The few stars peeking out provided no answers or comfort.

~I don't want to be around you again, She'd said~ And he didn't doubt that she probably had been tempted to add 'ever'.  He closed his eyes trying to block the image of her angry and rejecting him.

            Mare was leaving the safehouse. She found that some wind had blown away more of the clouds. She looked at the stars in a sort of longing.

. A star- no probably Venus peeked out.  Did Ash see it?  Was he looking at the sky too? 

            Ash had betrayed her. When she'd seen him kissing that girl he heart had just shredded, it hurt. When he'd first left, she'd had little doubt that he cared about her, but she'd never had the courage to give him the hope that she had fallen for him. She'd feared him getting tired of her. It had all happened so fast! It was emotional overload, the whole deal. Had he replaced her?

It reminded her of all the times she'd gone out late at night with her telescope to feel that happiness to feel the happy tears fall down her face. She'd done it to try to replace all the uncomfortable thoughts, to replace her loneliness. If she could become one with the darkness, the void then she wouldn't have to think about it or really feel. 

This time the silent tears were bitter and unfulfilling. The stars blinked down at her merely little lights, a void that couldn't hide her from it.

She would always love the night.

But she would always long for something more.

will she go back? or go to the hotel like a nice little human? Will Ash and Mare meet again? Where? When? Read the next chapter to find out!

stupidity or reason?

cliffhanger for chapter 10 J

please please review! I only update with reviews.

Thanks you PLum BloSsOm ! This chapter is for you J


	11. Life Goes on in the Mansion and returnin...

Seeking Favor Chapter ten By Spirit of Eowyn ~~~ Sorry about the lateness and the chopiness of this chapter. But it is rather long =) 8 pages yay! Lots of Cameos. This is the 2nd to last chapter ::cheers::~~ Thank you for all the reviews and calls for getting this done. I hope this chapter makes sense _ If it doesn't let me know and I'll revise it. I didn't add more details cause I thought it was getting very long already..  
  
Life at the Mansion  
  
Ash was moodily playing a video game at the mansion. He killed another generic baddie. They had just been grilled on the circumstances of Jessica's death. Typical after mission drill until Laurel had mentioned some vision she'd had about some old soul, Thierry had gone pale. He looked the way Ash felt daily. He forgot about asking them more questions and had ushered Ash and Nielson out of the room and had Lupe called in. He was acting very wierdly, trying to remain his usual stoic-ness and failing. On the upside Ash hadn't been questioned further. On the down side, it was like Ash wasn't important anymore. When he had first got here people had been a bit skeptical of his change but were thrilled to have him on. Here he was risking his reputation helping C.D. and Thierry became concerned about some old soul who had nothing to do with human rights or the end of the world. Stagehog. Laurel was always trying to get attention, trying to be better than everyone else even when they were kids. It was annoying. Speaking of the devil, Laurel came in looking excited.  
" So he wanted all kinds of details, had me call Aradia for her opinion." Laurel from the couch behind him ranted on. " I think I may have fell upon some exciting news! He mentioned his soulmate. Ash! I think I ran into Thierry's soulmate! Isn't that exciting?" She sounded smug now.  
" Single handedly saving ... nothing oh joy." Ash said bitingly She frowned but continued.  
"So He's sending Lupe's team to check."  
" Not you? oh you must be sooo disapointed, someone else getting your laurels." Ash vented. He'd only been half listening anyway. With any luck she would get the hint and leave me alone. Laurel bit her lip and got up to go. Ash was being too moody to deal with. It was then that Ash decided decisively that he wanted to do Solo missions. People were a pain when you had to work with them instead of just maneuvering them.  
"Oh hey girl, wanna come watch Buffy with us?" Poppy said at the door hand in hand with James.  
"Oh Hello Ash." Poppy said cheerfully. James still looked on his cousin in distrust.  
" Hope you don't mind but We're watching Buffy." Ash rolled his eyes at the irony. Vampires watching a show about a vampire killer. Oh Angel Oh Buffy.  
"I can't be with you because you're a human and I've been a bad bad vampire." Ash mocked and then paused realizing the same could be said of his own love life. Laurel snickered from the back of the room. Ash glared. I should never have let her know about Mare.  
"It's cute" Poppy argued, talking about the show.  
"Maybe I'll watch it." Ash said.. During the show Ash kept getting upset when Buffy and Angel were continully kept apart. He seemed honestly distressed. In the back Laurel understood why. He's moody. He must be seeing Angel as himself and his soulmate as Buffy. But he still had no right to say those things. ~~~~~ The next afternoon Ash woke up to the sounds of gossip. He imagined that the populace thought they were being quiet about it, but it was clear that something was up. Laurel was whistling in the kitchen completely relaxed while everyone else he ran into seemed to be on edge. Had someone attacked? Laureldidn't seem concerned... that meant something...Oh. Miss vision girl had foreseen something and it'd come true. It had to be, she looked like a cat who'd gotton away with eating the family bird. He idly wondered how much money from bets she was going to get from this one.  
"Good Morning Ash."  
"Afternoon." He corrected. " What's up?" Ash waved his hands at the nervous populace.  
"New Recruits this morning." It had to be someone with a past much like his own for people to be this nervous.  
" You seem confident."  
"I'm going to be calling in quite a few bets." She rubbed her hands together. Ash left before he made a retort. He went into the upper lounge to escape. Everyone seemed to be avoiding that area. Which was perfect cause he was feeling antisocial. A couple was occupying the loveseat. They seemed jumpy too. Ash gaped.  
"Quinn?!"  
Quinn seemed just as surprized to see him. The human girl next to him inquired  
." You know each other? I thought you only knew the worst kind of schondrels."  
" I do." Quinn defended. " Meet Ash Redfern." Rashel looked at him carefully. It was hard not to stare, he was disarmingly handsome. She'd heard of him, he was known for being a womanizer and very manipulative, leader of the Redfern clan out here just the kind of guy the old Quinn would know. The door was opened without ceremony by Laurel.  
"Hey, I've got a mission for you guys if you really want to start today." She held a folder grinning.  
"No one else had enough guts to deliver it themselves?" Rashel said with a bit of contempt.  
"Pretty much yeah. Currently." She was all smiles. Rashel took the file. Quinn looked like he thought it was foolhardy of her to mention such things in front of Ash. His jaw hardened.  
"Thierry accepted him into circle Daybreak? We can't be that desperate! Quinn hates humans. And who's the chick?" Ash said in disbelief. Quinn was quiet for a moment-studying Ash.  
"You. You're part of Circle Daybreak?!!" He'd always trusted his ability to read other people's minds, but it was too impossible to believe. Ash stiffened. The girl was looking fondly on Quinn, he was manipulating her for sure. Quinn was too short for any girl to look at like that, especially with himself in the room. Quinn was infiltrating C.D. for the counsel, couldn't people see that?  
Thierry was too used to people following his lead, he'd made a fatal mistake. How could Laurel be grinning like that? Was she working for the counsel too? Any moment they were going to be attacked for sure. How come his counsel contacts hadn't warned him? Thierry entered from another side, or was it appear?  
"The "chick" is Rashel,Quinn's soulmate." Laurel nodded as if she'd suspected this for a long time. Likely story. Ash thought. Rashel got up with too much grace which made Ash more nervous. No normal humans did that. James and a few others stormed behind Thierry as if they'd been running to catch up.  
"Quinn has a soul?" Ash said in mock amazement. Thierry ignored the comment.  
"They'll be helping us, Rashel was the slayer known as "The Cat" murmurs abounded.  
"I don't believe you. I've gone up against THAT slayer, and she's a man hater." Ash argued. " Was." Rashel said with confidence going into a pose with vampire fast speed and slapping Ash. ~OK maybe was. And maybe I deserved that- did I kill a friend of hers? Hmm~~ Ash pondered Ash relaxed more, it was possible that others had been ruined by the soulmate curse. Why not Quinn?  
" So Little Quinny boy likes girls?" Ash teased. Quinn glared and brought to his mind what a strong telepath like himself could do.  
"So why did Ash Redfern betray his family and become a damned daybreaker?"  
"Why does anybody? and I'm not one of them.. I'm just- here."  
Quinn nodded. "So why are you here?"  
"No reason" Ash put his hands in his pockets. "Just felt like it. If you'll excuse me." Ash left the room doing his "I'm cool and unafraid thing"  
Laurel was outside talking on her cell phone. "This is great news, Of course I'll help, this'll be so much fun." Upon seeing him she paused as if caught and stopped smiling.  
Talking about me are you? She nodded at him acknowledging his presence and walked away. Curious and Curiouser.  
  
Next day~~~  
  
"Who were you talking about me to last night?" Ash said annoyed. His partner didn't look at him, said nothing.  
"Well?"  
"Thierry said that you wanted solo missions."  
"Yes. I work best alone I decided." Ash said practically saying because you failed at the last mission.  
"Please! My fault? Do you really think Thierry is going to give it to you? You don't give solo missions to someone who's-" Laurel stoped looking at the dark ciricles under his eyes that he was probably ignoring.  
"Who's what? Come on Miss. Perfect never made a mistake, say it. I'm not perfect."  
"You're not whole. And I've made plenty of mistakes that have ended with people I care about dead. So don't go there Ash."  
Ah Yes that's where miss perfectionist came from. Her look reminded him of last September. Of when he was trying to find Circle Daybreak. He'd arrived at Aradia's where he knew she was apprenticing. He knew she'd been trying to clean up her life for years. Since the death, she'd been especially difficult. He'd been avoiding her as a stick in the mud, but now. It was convienent. She'd answered the door and looked at him as if he was very unwelcome.  
"What are you doing here?"  
"Just Visiting."  
She'd known why he was there, Aradia had suspected. But still she'd looked at him as if she wanted to slam the door. It was if she had gotton over alcoholism and he was her drinking buddy with a 6 pack. He was dangerous to what she had chosen to become. Aradia had insisted that she let him in.  
"Stop changing the subject."  
"Excuse me." She said leaving him alone in the room. Fearing that Ash had been using her all along, the way he had used so many people she'd known.  
Ash watched her leave, scanning her thoughts, someday he'd have to come clean and tell her... Well thats what tomarrows for right? No need to burn bridges today.  
  
A week or so later Ash came back from his first solo mission to a much agitated Mansion. Thiery was gone but everyone else was being-weird. He ignored them and went straight to sleep. Technically he didn't need it, but sleep was one of those luxuries he enjoyed generally.  
~~~There she was in the forest looking at the stars,with arms around Mare. A  
guy,who wasn't him. "Mare!"  
She glared back at him in contempt. " I never want to see you again.. what are  
you some stalker? I thought I made it perfectly clear that you'll never be good  
enough for me, you monster!"  
He looked down on himself, to see that he had claws, his fangs were much longer  
than they ussually were, and his skin was gray. In her eyes he say his  
reflection, eyes that shifted color darkly. He got closer to her trying to deny  
his appearence and she cut him with her silver letter opener. Drops of his dark  
blood fell, in the way of a dream he saw in them was the deaths of four innocent  
babies shining blue. Their deaths and so many others. Blue eyes accused him.~~~~ ~ He woke up in a chilly sweat that choked. A hot shower rid him of the sweat but not of the memories- not all of them from his dream, but of things he had done. In the hallway some silly girls were talking.  
"She's here?"  
"No way!"  
Ash opened his door. "Her Who?" Ash asked one of the daybreakers who thought they were whispering.  
" Thierry's soulmate!"  
Oh. "Wait...the old one he killed?" Ash said Glare from the witch girls.  
"I mean, he's not here-but she is?"  
"No one knows where he is."  
"OooK" Ash left trying to find a quieter spot.  
"Welcome to the meeting Ash." Thea smiled pulling Ash into a room. Ash groaned.  
****read Soulmate for details::  
It was late one night after talking to Hannah that Ash realized that he felt a strong presence- Maya. He left Hannah to tell the others only to realize too late that that was Maya getting him out of the room. He rans back, but Hannah was gone.  
"Great, can't save anyone's soulmate now can I ?" On a more personal note he realized that being the last person with Hannah before she was taken that he was going to get blamed for it. His cousins pretended to trust him but this- was not good.  
  
Ash ran to the balcony, looking around. Maya the human form returning was running away.  
"Maya!" He jumped off and gave a somewhat futile chase. This was Maya after all.  
"Come on, you just running off? Not staying for some Tea? Tsk Tsk." Maya turned around abruptly and glared at him. She was still a bit bat like. He looked into Maya's eyes.. which were just like his. I am is related to that monster, trying to get Mary Lynnette to go with me, but, my eyes are just like hers. Thierry had only been changed by that blood, it wasn't who he was. But me, I'm one of the monsters. There isn't a cure for what you are.  
~~So why fight it?~~ Maya said in his mind. Ash blinked. She'd been trying to get him back- to the council.  
~You were good at what you did once. You can be again~~ His yells were starting to gather the attention of the guards. He blinked and she was gone.  
"You just let her get away!"  
"You could have at least stalled her so we could help!" Ash was disoriented. He didn't even give them the time of night. It's too much. C.D. will never trust me no matter what I do, they blame me, and I used to be looked up to. I used to be The man. I could do anything.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Sunny months passed. Seniors graduated, and celebrated their new freedom. Kestrel was listening to Mare go on and on about all the acceptance letters she'd recieved from colleges all over the country. It was a minor concern since she planned to follow Mare where ever she moved to, not for more schooling, as a Redfern she didn't really need any, but to get the heck out of Briar Creek! Rowan had become fond of this small town life and Jade was still infatuated with Mark. Kestrel alone was sick of the small town. She needed a place with more vamps and plenty more guys her age. Uh oh. Mare was getting that dreamly only a few months left look.  
"Pick this one Already." ~~~~~~~~~~~  
Ash tried to hide his nervousness when he got on the plane. In a few hours he'd be rightfully in Oregon. He tried not to linger on such thoughts as not being invited to Mare's graduation. It would be a year to the day. He would never tell her about the last few dark months. He'd hide those from her as best he could.  
He'd done a lot of good and Hannah had said that she didn't blame him, and that his soulmate was waiting for him. He kept fingering the return ticket for her in his pocket. She would join him. They were destined for one another so why was he so nervous. He'd raced his rental car towards Briar Creek. Rowan had never mentioned Mare getting a boyfriend. He turned onto their road. This whole year had been leading up to this. A deep breath, another. Act Casual. Burdock farm looked nice. newer. He knocked. and when he heard footsteps coming he cleared his throat.  
"Ash! It's so nice to see you, we've been expecting you." Rowan said in her usual polite manner. "Come right in." She seemed a little nervous.  
~I wonder how upset he'll be when I tell him?~ Ash's eyes widened, he didn't think he was supposed to hear that thought.. A nervous couple was behind Rowan. Hand and hand. The girl looked defiant.  
~I don't need your permission anymore buddy, I run my own life, I date who I want to.~  
"Hi" the dark haired guy said.  
"Mark" Ash was surprized how different, more confident and taller he looked.  
"So. Where's your sister?" Ash tried to be Casual. Mark winced. Rowan responded.  
" She's left already." From his confused look she added.  
"For college, I don'tknow where though, it's some big secret, they were planning on a long road trip first."  
"They left about a week or so ago."  
"You missed them."  
"Them being- Kestral and Mare- right?" better not be a boyfriend.  
"Yeah." Ash still deflated. After working himself up so much to see her, it was a real let down not to. Was this some subtle hint that she didn't want him?  
"You didn't expect her to be waiting here for you, did you? Human girls aren't like that" Jade said with newfound confidence.  
  
::insert evil laughter here::: Cliffhanger. No Mare? Where are they? Will Ash ever see her again? Next time on Seeking Favor, "Whatcha going to do now?" 


	12. Chapter 11

Seeking Favor Chapter 11 By Spirit of Eowyn Disclaimer: nightworld and all it's usual people are prop. Of L.J. Smith. I'm just romping around having fun here.  
  
(sorry for the lateness of this, I hope the writing meets with your approval,- my beta reader has been too busy to preview the last few chapters ( and my writing skills leave much to be desired. )  
  
----------------------- Somewhere along the Arizona/Utah border..  
  
*click* "Hey thanks for taking our picture!" Mare said while taking her camera back. She took out a crumpled piece of paper out of her backpack. Grand Canyon -check.  
They'd visited almost everywhere in the continental United States that she'd wanted to visit, or could drive to in a month. Kestrel was looking down the cliff and back at their dumpy car.  
"Are you ever going to tell me which school we're going to?" Kes asked in a justified annoyed voice. She'd been dragged all over the country, not that it hadn't been fun but was it too much to ask to know what their final destination was?  
Mary-Lynette was pretty sure that her friend wouldn't like her truthful answer. She hadn't decided yet. It wasn't that she didn't have any good options- she had too many. She knew a big city wouldn't suit her, and no schools were in a town anywhere near as small as Briar Creek. UNLV didn't have an astronomy program, she'd only applied because of a weird hope. UCLA was prestigious and had an astronomy program, but she was still had a unpredictable variable which had a large sway in her decision.  
"Or I could have someone make the decision for you, an academic counselor or something." Kes said opening up her cell phone, pretty sure she knew where she could find someone who knew someone who would help a Redfern like herself. -------------  
Well that was anticlimactic. And that is why we keep in contact with our siblings. Ash chided himself. Ok so maybe planning this sort of thing had it's benefits. After his sister's announcement he couldn't stay much longer, he lasted the day to be polite. He had endured Jade and Marks cuddles and moody glares. He had let Rowan act the older sister and drill him over what he'd been doing.  
"Do you think father will try to have you killed now?" Rowan calmly sipped at her tea. Ash looked back disturbed at her.  
"Gee thanks for that, I don't know, maybe. Maybe he'll come after you two." Come on Rowan you usually have more tact than that, Ash thought.  
He'd been happy to flee when all the niceitys were done. He'd driven as fast as he could to Portland. He had to wait 6 hours for the jet to pick him up , intending to return to Las Vegas. And then what? His eyes shifted to brown, and he blinked, to keep the moisture in. Biting his tongue helped a bit. He'd been looking foreward to seeing Mare, to coming back with slain dragons and her welcoming him- and now he didn't have anything to look foreward to. No plans.  
The universe had dooped him into joining "the good side" and took away his reason for it. He'd lost everything. His reputation he'd worked so hard on, the respect of his family, the power. Why didn't he miss the power more? Well there was nothing for it, he could never go back to the council now, not unless he wanted to die the same way the Aunt Opal's husband had. He was labeled traitor. Others called him weak, the same people who had idolized him at the Black Iris. He would be insane if he thought that he hadn't acquired ties and even friendships of a sort while in C.D. A wave of anger hit him. Couldn't she have left a letter for him or something? Had someone call and let him know that his trip to Briar Creek would be utterly useless? She had to have known he was coming.  
"Sir? I need you to put your safety belt on, we're approaching Las Vegas airport."  
"Hmm? Sure whatever." -------------------- It was dark when they arrived. The stars which had been bright thirty minutes before were drowned out by the flashing city lights. A sign for "NW rugs" passed by. What was that? Night World rugs? Kes snorted, that was a good sign.  
They stopped really quick to pick up some In and Out burgers and shakes. Ah yes nothing like good 'ol fattening human food.  
"The directions say we turn onto Hecate drive."  
"I called the coordinator and she said she'd be waiting outside the main entrance for us." Kestrel said authoritatively.  
"We're lucky I planned this, or we wouldn't have even been able to get a decent apartment this late on." She added. Mary-Lynnette wasn't listening. Had this been the right decision? Her dad would surely disaprove. She didn't know if Ash would forgive her this decision either. She busied herself by gathering the trash into a bag. She was glad that they stopped. Her legs were cramping and her butt was numb. Stretch. Ok. No nervousness, you made the first mistakes so you get to suck up your pride.  
"Hey! Come on in, nice to see you again. You're going to love this place. I think you'll both find a lot in common with your future roommates." The blonde said urging them to follow her inside. I'm sure you'd like to take a shower after that long trip, get cleaned up for later tonight." She led them to a temporary guest room. A few hours later she was to meet a very interesting group of girls. They were from all over the country, and had as many varied interests. They were all at least fairly strong willed though. A future vetranarian and an anthropologist and many more who didn't know what to go into. They had met in the communal kitchen to drink tea or whatever and eat chocolate.  
  
A girl around her age, the facilitator of the learning program, was asking her some academic questions.  
  
"So how are you planning on paying for school?"  
"Honestly I don't know, my dad can't really afford to send me anywhere." Mare looked into her teacup. "But Kes, said she'd pay for my rent since we'd be roomies." Mare added trying not to sound like she was asking for any help.  
"hmm I've assessed your situation and talents, and I think it would be best if you deferred a semester since you haven't replied to any of the schools yet. You could work here, and then you and Kestel could room with Hannah, Chess and I, of course you'd have to apply to this school" She was handed a worksheet.  
"If you work here, I'm sure it would help you make up your mind." Said the future Vet. in the soft way, Mare had associated with her. There was some sounds outside their door. "Speaking of which." The curly red head Poppy grinned. "He's here." The girls scrambled out and dragged Mary-Lynette into the main living room. She was sure they left her to go to the upstairs balcony and be nosy. She faced the door Laurel ad left through. She was alone for now, scared and excited at the same time. --------------------------------  
"Ash! Welcome home!" Laurel was ALL smiles. That didn't bode well. She didn't seem at all surprized that he came back alone. Laughing at me are you? I bet you all think it's Hilarious that Ash actually thought for a moment that his soulmate wanted him. Freakin hilarious!  
"How was your trip?" He grumbled. "She wasn't there, what do YOU think?"  
"Really? Hmm.. uh. Buffy's on, maybe that would cheer you up." Laurel pointed in the direction of the living room.  
"No, I don't think so. I'm going to my room." Ash said irratatied  
"To Brood?" Laurel finished. Ash glared back at her. "Well Thierry thought you could show one of the new recruits around---" Ash was losing his patience.  
"Do I really look up to that right now to YOU?" Laurel didn't seem put off at all, just grabbed his arm and started to drag him towards the Mansion's living room. "I never told you who I was talking to on my cell a few months back. guess." Ash grumbled. "and that is somehow going to cheer me up?" They were in front of the living room door. "Go ahead, go on in, by the way. you owe me.. BIG." Ash looked confused, but opened the door.  
  
.  
  
..  
  
.  
  
Spirit of Eowyn runs away as fast as possible from the tomatoes that are aimed in her direction. _ Yes I am evil. I am the evil fanfic cliffhanger lady of death. But this is better than nothing right? Who wants me to write the epilogue? Yes Reviews could most definitely modivate me ( Who wants to find out what happens when Ash goes into the living room which Mare is in? (If you didn't catch onto it, Mare decided after traveling to go to CD headquarters to talk to Ash and join CD.. I was going to write an alt. ending where Mare dies on her way to get to Las Vegas. And ash is all angsty. NW rugs and In and Out are both in Las Vegas. I have quite a few threads to tie up which will lead to a sequel. eventually. 


	13. The Epilogue! :D

 (The long awaited) Seeking Favor Epilogue

Disclaimer: For the last time- ::points to herself:: I am Not L.J. Smith. I am a poor college student. This is just for fun writing,… waiting for Strange Fate to be available (it should soon) so that I can get the real scoop on the whole Ash/Mare situation..

Thank you all for the reviews! I hope this turns out in a satisfactory way for you guys. Epilogues can be very intimidating.

--

Ash looked confused but opened the door, his eyes scanning the room. Might as well get this over with-and then his eyes caught hold of a girl. He gaped, literal jaw dropping, emotional mask gone, cool vanished. His eyes changed color as quickly as his emotions were. Shock, confusion, fear, longing, frustration and a little bit of anger.

~~~~~~~

            Mary-Lynnette wasn't doing too well either. Her hands were tightly clasped behind her back. She had to remind herself to breathe. That's right. Breathing is good.

~~~~~~

He could think of a million good questions to ask. Like 'Why are you here?' 'Did you come here to tell me that you hate me in person?' 'Why weren't you there waiting for me?' However he couldn't get his mouth to work. He couldn't be business like about this. He couldn't put these emotions somewhere else. He wanted to, he wanted to act like she didn't affect him at all. But it was as beyond his reach as the stars themselves.

~~~~~~~~

Why wasn't he saying anything?  Mare was trying not to panic. Anything! From his stare, she could tell he wasn't trying to ignore her. No he was focused. But he had the same bristling look of a cat who's had cold water dumped on him. It was up to her to start.

"Hi." She said quietly.

"Hi." Ash echoed.  A part of his mind was realizing that he'd been set up by Laurel for just this purpose. She was probably laughing right now, Oh what great fun! Let's throw Ash in the same room as his soulmate he hasn't seen in forever and see what happens.  He tried to be angry about it. No doubt he would thank her later- It was easier to think about anything that wasn't centered around Mare. Because if he let his brain wander THAT direction he'd start to worry, then to panic, and then he'd become a puddle of goo. His legs moved him closer to her until they were about three arms lengths away and he could see the blue of her eyes. He hoped he looked casual doing it.

She didn't back away, but rocked on her heels. She looked around the room as if trying to gain inspiration.

"I'm going to join Circle Daybreak." Mare announced. Ash was quiet, he didn't want to argue with her. "If that's ok with you I mean, if it'd be easier for you I  could-" Mare rambled. Her voice became more high pitched.

"No, it's good that you want to join." Ash said pathetically.

"Yeah, so Kestrel is here too." She said cowardly, nodding her head. It was nice to talk to him and not be yelling or anything.

"Yeah, Rowan said she was with you." Ash put his hands in his pockets.

"Oh, you visited Briar Creek?" She said wincing.

"Yeah, I just got back." Ash said hoping he wasn't was fueling an argument.  He was standing alone in a room with Mary-lynnette and they were talking like small talk- something they'd never tried before. It had always been 'You can't be my soulmate! Who killed Aunt Opal?' with no opportunity to just introduce yourself and do what normal people did when they met. Being Soulmates meant you just skipped right over that whole 'who are you?' part of it. He looked around the room and let his eyes fall to her feet. Nice sneakers.

He was just hoping she wouldn't tell him something along the lines of 'you shouldn't have thought I'd be waiting for you. Chauvinist pig!' So her next words shocked him into looking her in the eyes.

"I'm sorry." She said sincerely with no sarcasm.

"Huh?" Ash said with a look of utter confusion. She was NOT apologizing. Other people did that stuff, not her.

"I- I was scared of you. I still am." She said speaking of when they first met.

"Oh." Ash's disappointment must have been glaringly out in the open.

"I mean, your sisters were scared of you, and I was scared to death that I had fallen for you when it made no sense why I should. And then you'd have power over me, to hurt me, and you've hurt so many people  and- well I'm sorry I shouldn't have pushed you away-" Mare blurted out in a rush

"And kicked me in the shins?" he asked hopefully.

"Well no, you deserved that." Mare said with the barest glimmer of smile.

"Ah." Ash said trying to digest all that she'd said barely smiling. There was his Mare. All that apologizing had started to worry him.

"I've been thinking, if you wouldn't mind- I'd like to get to know you better. I mean there is still so much I don't know about you. So you don't have to avoid me while I'm here." She let her hands go and pushed some hair out of her face. 

"Yeah, I would like that too." Ash agreed solemnly.

"No need to rush things, after all we're two intelligent logical people."

"Right." Ash agreed.

She finally let her eyes wander from his gorgeous eyes back to his equally fascinating lips.

Well she'd said what she'd meant to, speech time was over. Logical brain can shut off now and take a break. Now she just needed an excuse…

            "Thanks for listening to me, and giving me the time away I needed to adjust to all of this." She waved her hands about indicating the mansion and the night world.

 Ash was going to say something and shrug, but we'll never know what that was, as he soon found his lips preoccupied with something very distracting. 

Mary-lynnette the smart girl that she was had taken that opportunity to launch herself at a very surprised( in the good way) Ash. She wrapped her arms about his neck and had made her intentions clear, he had instinctively put himself in the right position,

And they kissed.

 Her kiss held an innocence and passion that sent his mind to a place where the stars were bright.

His logical brain tried to have it's way- well was he Ash Redfern just going to let her do that? Let her run into his arms and kiss him senseless? Without even making her pay for not waiting for him? For making the first move? Cement his reputation as a love fool of some human girl?

            'Yeah, why not, sounds like a plan and the benefits, well he liked the 'french' benefits.' He told his brain- to shut it up.

            Mare nuzzled into his neck, feeling safe. They stayed that way for a time indeterminable. The pink haze was comforting old wounds. She could sense his presence, his mind, and although there were still dark places in the thorn forest of brilliant colors, they only served to make the light that much more precious and amazing. They made the colors stand out in all the maze of lights.

They had both grown up and changed in the last year. They had finally gotten past the kicking of the shins and denying each other part of their relationship. But they both had the maturity to know that all relationships are hard no matter what the circumstances, they would have a lot of trials along the way to make this work.

Now our story doesn't end there.

The couple did eventually come out, as all must do. Air is after all a good thing. They weren't young and foolish enough to think that there wasn't anything else in the world besides the two of them, or that that was all they ever needed. Life was for living, not just for dreaming in.

However over the next couple of days they became pretty inseparable. They would have breakfast together and talk, really trying to get to know one another.

Ash did of course thank Laurel afterwards. When they had left the room the girls had been waiting outside acting 'casual'. Vultures, If she had rejected him he would have been angry, as if was he barely noticed them. Quinn had taken a special interest in getting to know Mary-lynnette, probably curious what kind of girl could be soulmated to him. And he did have to endure knowing looks from the other CD couples, which only subsided a month afterwards. And on many occasions Hannah, Thea and the others would take his Mare away to do girly stuff like volunteer at the SPCA, do science research and the occasional talk about the boys.

            It was after one of this times when Ash and Mare were cuddled up on the couch watching _Contact_, that he noticed Laurel walking down the hall and remembered the past.

And felt guilty. He looked at Mare and frowned. She'd wanted him to make up for his past, but there was still something he had to do. He had to tell Laurel the truth. He didn't want to, to be perfectly honest with himself he had been a coward and didn't want to get slapped or yelled at, or much worse- see betrayal in her eyes. They had been friends, and this- would most likely end it. After all she'd done to help with Mare-

To tell her that he was at fault for it- for her changing into this person… He had thought that he was protecting her and doing his duty to The Council. But he had no excuse anymore. Before he could truly enjoy this- he would have to stop thinking about himself- and Seek Forgiveness.

"Ash?" Mary-lynnette said tilting her head and noticing the way he was looking, and remembered one of the darker places in his mind.

He turned back to her, asking her to understand, Mare nodded.

"Go, set your conscience free."

Ash got up and walked towards the hallway with Mary-Lynnette looking on smiling proud of him for doing what was right without being coerced to. She could love Ash, without fear. It was then that she knew that they were going to be all right, and smiled. 

:D

I'm DONE!!! WOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  :: parties::

What did Ash do? Ash is on his way to redemption again! I might write a sequel where you can find out about Ash when he's with Mare and Ash finally gets to tease Laurel about…

Instead of the other way around.  ;D

Thank you for all your love and support!

Do tell me if you want a sequel, I could be persuaded.


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